I am a lot astonished for the low Indian politics has hit with the freebies being announced by both DMK and AIADMK. I am not sure why election commission is not stepping in or why no-one is writing against it. It is indeed a shameful incident that we all are getting to know, but the overall reaction seems to be of being deaf, dumb and blind in this case.
The time when the nation is rocked by “Cash for Votes” controversy and BJP led opposition is battering Congress led UPA for the same, what we see in Tamilnadu?? Is that something the nation should be proud about?? I mean with laptops to students, magalsutras, rice to BPL or to anyone holding Ration Card and many such more freebies, where are we headed?? Is that the sort of Election Manifesto that we want to look at or should we be more looking at addressing the growing concerns over cramped / overloaded infrastructure that we have including electricity and roads.
What surprises me more is rather than promising better electric supply, both the political parties are promising laptops to students who join college or class XI. Good to note here would be “What would a student do with a laptop, when there is scares electricity? Wouldn’t that situation give rise to more electricity theft??” Interestingly, “What would a family do with say 20 or 35 kg of rice when it does not have basic four walls and a ceiling to live in? or would that 20 kg or 35 kg of rice be sufficient enough to help that family survive through the next five years??”
What we would love to see in an election manifesto? I guess something like –
- Widening of Roads with clearing the enchroachments
- Better Housing facilities with enough supply of potable water (certainly a pain area in Tamilnadu)
- Better electric supply with establishment of more non-conventional sources of electricity generation including Conversion of Solar Energy to Electric Energy
- Promoting Solar Cookers for households with subsidy on prices and tax holiday for companies providing solar cookers
- Promoting self help society with creating more jobs
- Making High School education mandatory for one and all from current primary education
I am sure these line items would be more appealing to the general public than what freebies that we are looking at. These freebies as announced are doing no good but indirectly promoting Corruption. I guess its high time that the Election Commission comes out of its Suspended hibernation and swings into action barring any offer of such freebies to lure voters!!!!
