Bicycle Distribution Debacle: Politics, Rust, and Allegations in Gujarat

In Gujarat, a heated debate arose between the BJP and Congress regarding the failure to distribute 1.45 lakh bicycles to girl students under the Saraswati Sadhana scheme. Corruption allegations surfaced, and rust issues due to rain further delayed the distribution, affecting the students' ability to reach school.

In a fiery assembly debate, the BJP and Congress clashed over undistributed bicycles meant for girl students in Gujarat under the Saraswati Sadhana scheme. The government admitted that 1.45 lakh bicycles were left undelivered in 2023-2024, partly due to rust issues from rain exposure.

Congress accused the government of corruption, citing procurement irregularities and alleging sub-standard cycles were responsible for delays. They argued this forced many young girls to undertake long walks to school. State Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi acknowledged rust problems but attributed delays to necessary refurbishments.

Sanghavi also defended the vendor selection, despite Congress criticism of increased costs and compromised tenders. He assured the assembly that future distributions would proceed without such hitches, echoing Speaker Shankar Chaudhary’s call for timely delivery to the students.