'Sari scam': Indian women reject saris gifted by the government
A south Indian government gift scheme, part of a local festival, was rejected by women because of po
(Web Desk) – Poor women from the south Indian state of Telangana rejected saris that were given to them by the government under a gift scheme as part of Bathukamma festival.
According to the BBC, the saris were rejected because of their “poor quality”.
The women who went ahead and received the gift saris said that they were disappointed because the government promised them handloom saris for the festival.
The state reportedly bought more than 10 million saris on the occasion of a popular festival. Photo: BBC
The state reportedly spent 2.2bn Indian rupees to buy 10 million saris - an initiative taken by the government to distribute saris to all the poor women to celebrate the popular local festival of Bathukamma, which is also known as the flower festival.
State authorities insisted that the garments were of “high quality”, but offered to replace them all.
Opposition parties have requested for a “judicial inquiry” into what they call a “sari scam” while alleging that the free saris were of “cheap quality” indicating that the government had spent far less than what they claimed to have under the said scheme.
Government officials initially stated that they would purchase the saris from weavers in the state, which would also promote the economy of the region’s handloom industry.
But when officials realised that the amount of saris they require to distribute ahead of the festival would not be ready in time, they are believed to have ordered saris made on power looms.
Ganga, one of the receivers of the sari said, "I doubt it will last longer than four days".
"We are taking whatever they give us," a woman named Padma said, after collecting her sari at a centre in Hyderabad, the state capital. "They claim these are handloom saris but they are not, they are just saying that," she added.
Footage of women has begun to circulate on social media, burning piles of saris in protest and demanding to know who would wear such “cheap saris”.
In response the government has alleged that opposition parties are behind the videos that have been circulated on social media, claiming that burning saris is not an “Indian cultural practice”.
Not all women, however, were upset over the alleged "poor quality" of the saris.
"It would have cost only 70 to 75 rupees," said Savitri. "But I am happy with it because it s free."
