Mundi (Madhya Pradesh): Dozens of women from Wards 1 and 15 staged a three-hour protest outside the Municipal Council office, demanding inclusion of their names in the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, (PMAY) a subsidised housing scheme for the poor.
The situation escalated following alleged mistreatment by MP representative Chandramohan Rathore during their visit to the Parishad office. The protest originated after women participating in a Jan Kalyan camp in Ward 1 were dissatisfied with the council's response to their housing demands, leading them to approach the collector Anup Kumar Singh.
The situation worsened when they claimed Rathore made derogatory comments about their jewellery, suggesting they were too well-off to need housing assistance. Tribal woman Raksha, along with other residents including Rekha Bai, Girja Bai, Dwarka Bai, Lakshmi Bai, Anita Bai and Rajkumari Bai, filed a formal complaint at the Mundi police station.
Meanwhile, Rathore denied the allegations, stating, "It is not my nature to insult women." Chief municipal officer (CMO) Sanjay Jain said that he will send a proposal to district administration to change eligibility criteria for inclusion under the PMAY scheme, and once it is accepted, the names of those eligible will be included.
Former council president Laxman Singh Patel criticised the council's ‘biased attitude’ towards residents of Wards 1, 5 and 6. The protest concluded after tehsildar Vandana Chauhan's intervention and assurances from officials.
Congress leader Uttampal Singh and other party members joined the demonstration, demanding prompt resolution for those deprived of PMAY benefits.
