Blanket Distribution Row in Tonk: Former MP Accused of Withholding Aid After Hearing Muslim Woman’s Name

Tonk/Niwai, February 23, 2026: A blanket distribution drive in Rajasthan’s Kareda Buzurg village has snowballed into a political controversy after former BJP MP Sukhbir Singh Jaunapuria was accused of taking back a blanket from a Muslim woman upon learning her name.

The incident, which occurred on February 22 in Niwai tehsil of Tonk district, has triggered sharp reactions from opposition leaders, who have termed the act discriminatory and “inhuman.”

What Happened?

According to eyewitnesses, Jaunapuria was distributing blankets to needy residents at a temple premises in the village. Several Muslim women were also reportedly standing in the queue.

When one woman stepped forward to receive a blanket, the former MP allegedly asked her name. Upon hearing it, his demeanor reportedly changed. Witnesses claim he remarked that those who “abuse the Prime Minister” do not deserve such assistance and asked the woman to leave the blanket and step aside.

Some villagers present at the venue objected to the move. However, Jaunapuria reportedly responded that the event was not a government function but a personal initiative, and therefore he was not obliged to entertain objections. He later left the venue.

Jaunapuria’s Clarification

After the matter gained traction, Jaunapuria defended his actions, stating that the blanket distribution was conducted entirely with his personal funds and had no connection to any government scheme or public money.

He asserted that since it was a privately organized event, he had the discretion to decide who should receive assistance. Denying allegations of religious discrimination, he described the issue as one linked to ideology rather than identity.

Congress Slams the Incident

The controversy intensified after Harish Meena, the sitting Congress MP from Tonk–Sawai Madhopur, shared a video of the incident on social media platform X and strongly condemned the act.

Calling it “shameful and inhumane,” Meena alleged that denying aid to a poor woman on the basis of her name or religion was an insult to the Constitution drafted by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. He questioned whether assistance should now depend on political allegiance or voting preferences and demanded strict action against leaders promoting divisive thinking.

Political Tensions Rise

The incident has sparked a broader debate on the role of public representatives in private charity events and whether personal initiatives by political leaders can be divorced from constitutional values.

As the controversy unfolds, it has once again brought issues of communal sensitivity and political accountability into sharp focus in Rajasthan’s political landscape.