Lalan Singh, Rahul Gandhi Trade Charges Over Aadhaar and Voter ID for Welfare Benefits
New Delhi: Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh, popularly known as Lalan Singh, and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi engaged in a war of words on Friday over the identification of beneficiaries for Panchayati Raj welfare schemes, following the Centre’s announcement that Aadhaar alone would not be used as the basis for availing benefits.
Addressing a national workshop on the Jan Yojana Abhiyaan, Lalan Singh said voter ID cards would play an important role in identifying eligible beneficiaries instead of relying solely on Aadhaar.
He pointed out that Aadhaar enrolment facilities were now widely available and that Aadhaar cards could be generated quickly. Therefore, he said, Aadhaar alone would not be sufficient to establish the eligibility of beneficiaries.
Reacting sharply to the announcement, Rahul Gandhi described the move as a conspiracy by the Narendra Modi government.
In a post on social media platform X, the Congress leader questioned whether the same approach would eventually be extended to other welfare programmes, including ration benefits, pensions, MGNREGA, housing schemes, scholarships and reservations.
He alleged that the decision was part of a larger arrangement to manipulate elections and remain in power permanently.
“This is not just the theft of votes, it is the theft of rights. We will not allow this to happen,” Rahul Gandhi said.
Lalan Singh Hits Back at Rahul Gandhi
Responding to Rahul Gandhi’s allegations, Lalan Singh accused the Congress leader of distorting facts and linking every issue to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
Referring to Rahul Gandhi as a “restless soul”, the Union Minister said the Leader of Opposition had developed a habit of connecting every issue with SIR.
In a video statement, Lalan Singh clarified that Aadhaar alone would not determine eligibility for payments under Panchayati Raj schemes. He said Aadhaar, biometric verification and Electors Photo Identity Card (EPIC) numbers had also been incorporated into the identification process.
He accused Rahul Gandhi of commenting without understanding the complete details of the government’s decision.
Lalan Singh Cites Rajiv Gandhi’s Remarks on Welfare Funds
Defending the Centre’s approach, Lalan Singh said the Narendra Modi government was committed to ensuring that every rupee allocated to eligible beneficiaries reached them without being diverted through middlemen.
Referring to former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, he recalled his famous observation that only Rs. 15 out of every Rs. 100 allocated by the government reached the intended beneficiaries, with the remaining amount lost through intermediaries.
Lalan Singh argued that the present government was ensuring transparency in welfare payments and preventing middlemen from exploiting beneficiaries.
Taking another swipe at Rahul Gandhi, the Union Minister also criticised the Congress leader over his repeated references to SIR and made remarks about the Congress party’s electoral performance and its rally at Ramlila Maidan.
Centre Emphasises Direct Benefits to Genuine Beneficiaries
The Union Minister said the Centre had resolved to ensure that only genuine beneficiaries in villages and gram panchayats received the financial assistance and welfare benefits they were entitled to.
He maintained that the government’s objective was to strengthen transparency, eliminate intermediaries and ensure that public money reached the intended recipients.
The exchange between the two leaders has brought the issue of beneficiary identification, electoral identity documents and the delivery of welfare benefits into the political spotlight.
