CHANDIGARH:The Aam Adami Party, contesting municipal corporation election first time in
Chandigarh has been using all tools to win the elections. On Saturday it has announced to provide
20, 000 litres water free per month to the residents of the city along with ‘gurantee cards.
’ Pradeep Chabbra who left the Congress and has joined Aap Party should also tell the people where he was
when thousands of residents of cooperative housing societies have been charged double of the
commercial rates for 100 kl water from those who consumed less than 100 kl since April, 2014. The
notification for this purpose had been when the Congress was in power in municipal corporation.
Had ever been Mr Chhabra raised voice again this loot? Now the same man is promising 20 kl free
water per month to the residents.
Recently, the party had also announced free power to the people of Punjab up to 300 units. By
doing this around 80 per cent households of Punjab will have zero electricity bill and only 20 per cent
households will pay power will. It has also announced to oper 16, 000 pind and ward clin9ics for free
medicine tests, treatment, operation but the party did not tell the people of Pufnjab the condition of
Mohalla Clinics in Delhi. The party did not tell the people from where the fund will be arranged as
the state is under heavy economic pressure.
India is governed by freebies because the politiicians have failed in providing what the people
need. At the time of elections, political parties are competing with each other in announcing freebies
to win election as they are out of any solid other ideas to attract voters.
If one has to calculate freebies all over the country, the amount will run over inumerable
digitts and there is now surprise if the country is called up as country of freebies. Parties are busy in
doling out freebies to the people and voters will listen more sweet freebies in the coming days.
The culture of freebies is making inroads even in panchayat elections also in order to secure a
victory. The culture also shows the failure of politicians to govern the nation during all these years.
Hence, freebies are the easy way to tread and cover-up their failures. Have politicians every thought
of the end result of this culture?
The culture is neither sustainable nor economically viable. Freebies also under-estimate the
electoral judgement and wisdom of the voter and put a question on the system of free exercise of
votes. Free bus ride for women in Delhi alone costing around Rs 300 crore per year to the Delhi
government. Even those women are allowed free travel who can afford buy tickets.
Freebies are not funded from the pockets of the politicians but are funded from the overall
budget at the cost of other welfare schemes. Experts here in Chandigarh in matter have stated that
time has come to put a check on such announcements by the authority that be. These should be
made as ‘corrupt practice’ under Section 123 of the Representation of People Act as it is also a kind
of allurement to ‘purchase votes.’ The Election Commission should also give teeth to the model Code
of Conduct to check this malpractices.
Thus eliminating this serious evil needs not a paper tiger but a lion with teeth but this
work will not done by the politicians voters should come forward to teach lessons to such political
parties. Freebies are shooking the first and second floor of our democracy building.