Freebie politics reaching alarming levels

The suggestion made by the Chairman of Rajya Sabha, M Venkaiah Naidu, that there should be no freebies and that the Parliament should function for 100 days in a year is something which needs to be taken seriously and debated upon.

This suggestion assumes importance against the backdrop of a mad tendency being adopted by all political parties without exception to announce freebies whenever they have to face elections. The new culture is that even in the case of bypolls freebies are being announced.

This is happening because the political parties are unable to deliver normal projects, have long-term planning, create infrastructure and thereby create job opportunities. No rational debates on the proposed schemes are held even within the ruling parties. There is no question of any meaningful debate in Parliament or Assemblies because the lawmakers have learnt the fine art of stalling the proceedings and claim that they have fought vigorously for the people both inside and outside the legislatures. Any fight should bring some result. But what is happening is proceedings are stalled and public money is being wasted here, too.

Announcing freebies in haste without legislative debate is not producing the desired benefits. It only ends up in irresponsible expenditure. Welfare schemes in the form of power and water bill waivers could be justified if it were to help the farmers. Election-induced impractical and illogical pronouncements by political parties of all hues are turning out to be far removed from the budgetary and infrastructure realities of the States which are struggling even to pay salaries and are facing protests by jobseekers. A new culture has developed where the party leaders keep clapping readily to all such illogical decisions taken by the government rather than discuss the pros and cons within the party forum or the cabinet.

It is high time the parties realised that if they deliver the normal developmental activities during their five-year tenure, there would be no need to resort to freebies which are short-term measures. This only shows that these governments are not having any vision to change things. If the concept of irresponsible populism is reduced and the governments work seriously and manage funds prudently, the election expenditure can also come down and the country can progress fast.

People, too, should realise that they are being made to sell their votes in the name of freebies. If they do not resist, they cannot expect good leaders. This was the observation made by Tamil Nadu High court. The judges opined that if the money spent for freebies is utilised constructively by creating job opportunities, building infrastructure such as dams and lakes and better facilities and providing incentives to the agriculture, which has become an 'orphan' in the country, definitely there will be social uplift and progress of the State. The political parties should be prohibited or prevented from giving election promises, which can add burden on the public exchequer, the court observed. But the question is who will bell the cat?