AA Edit | Realistic look at freebies needed
The war of words between the Congress and the BJP over the caution advised by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on announcing poll freebies could force a rethink on the part of the major political forces in the country regarding the financial health of governments they head but it should not lead to the total scrapping of some of the measures which are truly beneficial to the people in the lowest spectrum of society.
Every party has a history of making outlandish sets of promises that helped them grab power. The most famous was “ache din aanewale hai (good days are coming)” pronounced by the BJP in 2014. That slogan promised not only all-round development but also a guarantee that the fruits of development will be distributed to all. And the party faced the 2024 polls, 10 years later, with even more guarantees. As for the Congress, the grand old party has a great history of doling out promises, which included garibi hatao (abolish poverty) of the 1970s and the guarantees the party announces before polls in every state. In fact, the party stormed to power in Karnataka and later in Himachal Pradesh and Telangana based on the promises it had listed.
Most parties have failed to fulfil promises which demand huge investment by the exchequer. And people are also forgiving: Slogans that sound generic, such as “garibi hatao” and “ache din aanewale hai”, may be forgotten. But those specifically offering people succour in their lives of suffering aren’t. The government’s job is to generate revenue and spend it on measures that can create a level playing field. Basic necessities such as food grains and free travel which offers women mobility are such enablers. Instead of throwing the baby out with the bathwater, governments and the parties have to be discerning about these and make their choices wiser.