Indus Valley Times

NEW DELHI,AUG 12: As controversy erupted over freebie politics, experts and parliamentarians say that it is absurd to make fun of welfare measures that are part and parcel of policies in all welfare states.

On Thursday, the Supreme Court criticised political parties for handing out freebies ahead of elections. The court said that there is a clear distinction between welfare measures and freebies.

Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi remarked that election freebies add to taxpayers’ burden and prevent the country from becoming self-reliant. However, Prof Balveer Arora, chairman of the Centre for Multilevel Federalism said that welfare states provide free health and free education and these are not freebies. “These are the rights that are due to citizens,” he said.

He also asserted that there is a misunderstanding on the question of welfare measures and freebies. “When it comes to coming to the help of the poor and the needy, those are classified as freebies. When it comes to writing off unproductive bad loans of crores and crores by banks, as those are not considered freebies, they are called restructuring,” he said.

Many opposition-ruled states say that providing subsidies for ration or power to the poor shouldn’t be called freebies. It is an infringement upon states’ rights, says CPM Rajya Sabha MP John Brittas.

“It’s a policy decision of the government. It’s a welfare measure. It should be left to the states. Giving poor people their sustenance is not a freebie. If people are starving, giving free ration to them is not a freebie,” he said. 

Arora further said that the Supreme Court shouldn’t have meddled in the issue. “It is not for the Supreme Court to enter into this dialogue between the parties and the voters and what they promise in exchange for votes. It has nothing to do with the judiciary, this is a dialogue between the political parties who are fighting for elections and the voters,” he said.

-TNIE