Omkar Dattatray
Unfortunately there is competition between the political parties in promising freebies to the people without thinking about the adverse effects of the poll freebies on the economy of the country .Political parties without any exception announce and promise freebies to the prospective voters irrespective of its bearing upon the economic health of the country .The beginning of the poll freebies and ravdi culture has many years ago been made by the AAP of Kejriwal which promised free power and water up to certain units in Delhi and Punjab where its government is in power .But now other parties are stepping into the shoes of AAP and are promising freebies to the people if they vote for them and bring them to power .Earlier BJP was much vocal and was criticizing the AAP for luring the voters by promising freebies without thinking about its sad effects upon the economy of the country .However today all most all political parties which are in power in the states and also the BJP at the centre are not shying from promising poll freebies to the prospective voters thus breaking the back of the economy.NDA government of the centre has announced free ration to 80 crore poor people for the next 5 years if it once again comes to power after the general elections and the cumulative effect of this will be creation of a hole in the pocket of the government.BJP government of MP has announced 1000 pensions to poor women in the state and has also announced Rs 200 to the fair sex on Raksha Bhandan .Similarly the congress government of Rajasthan has also promised free electricity and water to people if it again comes to power in the state elections just few months away .Political parties position their plans as well welfare for the needy and dismiss others as wasteful giveaway .There is no legal definition of freebies ,so a useful thumb rule is to assess whether a government has planned fiscal room before announcing a scheme .India’s political climate is heating up ahead of nine state elections and the Lok Sabha elections due within the next seven months .A year after political parties argued over the use of freebies to woo voters ,there is no death of such poll promises and policy moves .Take the recent cabinet decision to increase the cooking gas subsidy for the beneficiaries of the Ujjwala scheme by Rs 100 per cylinder .It comes at a time crude oil prices are on a boil ,and tops up the Rs 200 universal cut in cylinder prices in August .Does it make for a freebie ? Or is the tag better suited to free electricity up to 100 units for families in Rajasthan or e-scooters given away to meritorious female students ?The congress has raked their effort in winning the upcoming assembly elections ,being considered the semi-finals before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections .The BJP has been hitting out the grand old party in their election rallies ,targeting what former calls freebies or poll guarantees .The saffron party has been alleging that congress was promise, freebies in poll -bound states in order to gain votes .Notably the BJP has also named this allegation as revdi culture of the congress .Recently West Bengal PCC President Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury hit out at the allegation and citing PM Narendra Modi ‘s promises before elections, ”What is the definition of freebies ?Before 2014 ,Modi Ji said that Rs 15 lakh would be given to every individual in the country.” ”This kind of freebies were not realized as they were ‘Jumlas by Modi Ji .Whereas ,we are following our promises in both letter and spirit. ”Chowdhury added .Poll promises ,guarantees ,also termed freebies or revdi has been a point of friction between rival parties congress and BJP .While congress as part of INDIA bloc looks forward to thwart the saffron party led NDA’ attempt to return to power for the third term ,neither side has left any stone unturned in their efforts .Recently the supreme court has issued notice to centre ,MP ,and Rajasthan and ECI in response to a public interest petition -PIL against freebies distribution during elections .The PIL alleged the distribution of cash and other freebies is done at the behest of taxpayers expenses .Before the Karnataka elections Pm Modi had hit at the congress on the issue of distributing freebies ,and said that when party’s warranty itself has expired ,its guarantees have no meaning .Modi has stressed that the country will get immersed in debt because of freebies ,and said that the country and the government cannot be run on ‘revdi’ culture .It is very disturbing that today there is competitive politics being made and resorted to by the political parties so far as the poll freebies are concerned .Today no single party can be singled out for promising poll freebies as parties without any exception indulge in promising poll freebies to woo the prospective voters and therefore the criticism of any one party is not fair as all the political parties in one way orb the other indulge in poll freebies and revdi culture .Last year Supreme Court had sought responses from the union government and ECI on the continued practice of freebies being promised by the political parties before elections ,with an observation that promise of freebies was a serious issue .The apex court had earlier asked the ECI to frame guidelines in the matter .However the ECI had held only one meeting with the political parties asking them for their views .Political leaders offering freebies to lure voters is quite common during the election time in the country .The AAP had earlier won a thumping majority in Delhi Assembly elections in 2015,promising free water and electricity .In the run up to recently held assembly elections in five states ,the AAP had promised to provide free electricity up to 300 units to the people of Punjab ,if voted to power and it is seen that ,has been handsomely rewarded by the voters of Punjab ,decimating the incumbent congress and Akali Dal ,along with BJP .The political climate in the country it seems ,has been infested with the scourge of freebies being announced by the political parties before elections .It is unfortunate that ,even 75 years of independence ,the political parties see freebies as the best lucrative tool to seek public support in the elections .Those promising freebies ,obviously do not pay from their pockets ,but from the tax payers’ pockets.
However ,promising freebies from state exchequer ,raises moral ,ethical ,serious administrative and legal issues ,because the revenue is collected from taxpayers by the government ,and set procedures exist for using this money for the welfare of the people .At the end it can be said that all most all political parties are offering freebies to the voters in order to lure them and it can be safely argued that Iss Hamman Mein Sab Nangay hai.
(The author is a columnist,social and KP activist).
