Annapurna Bhandar protests reach the doorsteps of BJP leaders in West Bengal

Protests erupted across West Bengal over women being denied Annapurna Bhandar scheme benefits, with agitators confronting Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders and Ministers directly. On August 21, 2026, State Minister Agnimitra Paul had to interrupt an administrative meeting in Midnapore to address women's grievances. Protests also reached the homes of Minister of Women and Child Development Malati Rava Roy in Cooch Behar and Birati in North 24-Parganas, where women blocked railway tracks and a national highway, respectively.

Women have been staging demonstrations outside Block Development Offices (BDOs) in districts such as Paschim Medinipur, North 24-Parganas, Bardhaman Purba, Bardhaman Paschim, Hooghly, Bankura, Jalpaiguri, and Alipurduar. Social media videos show long queues of women outside BDO offices, voicing discontent over denied benefits. The BJP had promised a doubled monthly cash incentive for women during the West Bengal Assembly polls, increasing it from ₹1,500 to ₹3,000 per month.

However, despite doubling the amount, the number of beneficiaries dropped by millions, from approximately 2.2 crore to 1.45 crore, as per BJP figures. The government transferred funds on August 17 to extend benefits to all eligible women, but this announcement spurred protests. Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari countered the protests, alleging they were politically engineered and emphasized the increase in beneficiaries.

He also announced the observance of 'Annapurna Diwas' on September 17, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's birthday. The Trinamool Congress accused the BJP of making false promises and is intensifying its criticism on social media.