The tribal women from Jawhar and Dahanu in Palghar district Maharashtra returns freebies and asks for jobs. Even dismissing the summer heat, women lined up in district revenue offices to return the distributed saris and shopping bags along with their monthly ration, the Times of India reports.

Since Monday, over 350 saris and 700 bags carrying the photograph of PM Modi has been returned to the tehsildar offices in Jawhar and Dahanu. Officials reported that they have returned saris and bags to the rationing department.

Besides, women has put forward a memorandum urging higher education schools, teachers in classrooms, jobs for youth and round-the-year work, the Times of India reports.

In November last year, Eknath Shinde-led Maharashtra government introduced a new initiative wherein free sarees will be given to women from economically disadvantaged families holding “Antyodaya” ration cards. The scheme is planned to run from 2023 to 2028.

“The scheme, aimed at distributing free sarees to women with Antyodaya ration cards during festivals, will commence this year and continue for the next five years. The sarees, costing ₹355 each for this year, will be supplied by the state government’s powerloom corporation,” the Hindustan Times reported, as said in the official order.

Thus, from March 3, the saris, and bags were distributed along with the grain until the election code of conduct began on March 16.

It was NGO Kashtakari Sanghatana, focusing on the area of community monitoring of health services, made the tribal women aware and educated about the lack of employment and education opportunities.

Brian Lobo of the NGO told the Times of India, “We have been…explaining that they need more than the free grains and saris. A small section of the women has understood that such schemes will not make up for their for their daily needs.”

In Gowane village of Dahanu, 16 women returned their saris and 10 the shopping bags, where in Gangodi village, 47 women gave back the saris and 86 the bags.

Sharing the news on X, Priyanka Chaturvedi, Shiv Sena MP wrote: “Glad Maharashtra is showing the BJP its place.”

Glad Maharashtra is showing the BJP its place. Palghar tribals return freebies and submit a memorandum asking for jobs & declining PM Modi ‘Rewdi’.
“Since Monday more than 350 saris and 700 bags bearing the photograph of PM Modi have been returned to Jawhar and Dahanu Tehsildar… pic.twitter.com/7jF672fumF

— Priyanka Chaturvedi🇮🇳 (@priyankac19) April 10, 2024