Both the Dravidian parties have released their election manifesto's. As expected it was a freebie galore offered by both parties to woo the elctorate, defying all prudent economic theories.Both the DMK and AIADMK have tried to out do the other party by announcing freeby offers that are appealing to the elctorates.It is almost like a festival season discount offer announced by big retail outlets .This is akin to Tamil weeklies and magazines giving freebies to increase their circulation. Like the 'Buy one Get Two ' tagline of famous men's wear outlets ,now political parties tell the elctorate 'Vote us Get laptop '.During the last elections AIADMK lampooned DMK's freeby offers. But having lost the last elections ,this time Jayalalitha has tried to match DMK's election manifesto by announcing many freebies for her part also.The sad part is that EC is a mute spectator to this as there are no laws to prevent wooing electorates by promising freebies using government funds.Some legislation should be passed to curb this unhealthy practice at the earliest .Else this will be emulated by all parties in all the states and also at the centre in future elections. It amounts to squandering state funds.Political parties can make any freeby offer,because their party is not going to spend money from their coffers to fulfill their freeby promises.From the tax payers money they are going to meet out the freeby expenditure.Like the proverbial 'Rob paul to pay Peter' , government exchequer is robbed to fulfill political partie's poll promises. The voter should ponder for a minute, if they would tolerate a spendthrift in their family ?The political parties offering freebies are dong exactly the same thing by spending state funds recklessly to secure votes and secure power .In other words the political parties tell the electorates to vote for them and take home free what has been promised .Look at the freeby offers made by both parties.If DMK wants to give women free mixies and grinders, AIADMK has added fans along with mixe and grinders . Karunanidhi has promised laptops to students in their first year of college. Jayalalitha is promising them one even as early as their eleventh standard.Voters should not forget parties indulge in such lavish populism to secure votes and fool the people Election laws should be amended to disqualify parties or candidates offering such freebies in their manifesto's or make election promises. A PIL is already pending before the SC from 2008 over promising freebies in election manifesto's by political parties.The wily political parties want people to accept the freebies on one side and accept their corruption and inefficiency on the other side.The underlying notion of the freeby culture is that the voter is a buyable commodity.Unfortunatley by offering tempting freebies the Tamilnadu politican is feeding the voter's greed .The Tamilnadu voter has to just ensure that his name figures in the voters list .DMK and AIADMK would vie with each other to woo the TN voter by showering freebies .The only choice TN voter has to make now is whose offer is the best !.At this rate what would they offer as freeby in future elections .Could it be something like the following !
Free internet connections (No use in merely providing laptops)
Free cable connections (subsidised cable conncetion now promised by AIADMK)
Free mobile phones
Free pre paid connections
Free mopeds for BPL card holders (Now free cycles promised )
Free bikes for APL card holders
May be some one would promise free brakfast lunch and dinner served at home !
The parties who promise all these freebies are not bothered that Tamil Nadu debt has crossed one Lakh Crore.The Tamil Nadu debt has doubled in last five years from about 50, 000 crores to one Lakh Crore.This is a serious problem .This needs to be addressed on top most priority.Implementing the freebies announced will only make TN government to borrow additional money and take TN economy to a bad shape.
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