Freebies Issue: PM Narendra Modi on Friday hit back at Mallikarjun Kharge’s statement on election promises. The Prime Minister wrote on social media – Congress is now realizing that it is easy to make false promises, but it is difficult or impossible to implement them properly.
In fact, on October 31, at a program in Bengaluru, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge had said that we should make promises that can be fulfilled. Otherwise, the coming generation will be left with nothing but infamy.
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Modi wrote- Situation worse in Congress-ruled states
PM wrote- Congress keeps making promises to the people through continuous campaigning, which they will never be able to fulfill. Now they have been completely exposed in front of the people. Today, look at any state ruled by the Congress – Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka and Telangana – the pace of development and financial health are getting worse.
Their so-called guarantees remain unfulfilled, which is a terrible betrayal of the people of these states. The victims of such politics are the poor, the youth, farmers and women, who are not only not getting the benefits of these promises but their existing schemes are also getting weakened.
PM wrote- Congress is busy in internal politics and looting
The PM further wrote that instead of doing development in Karnataka, the Congress party is busy in internal party politics and looting. Not only this, they are also going to withdraw the existing schemes.
In Himachal Pradesh, government employees are not paid salaries on time. In Telangana, farmers are waiting for their promised loan waiver.
Earlier in Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan, they had promised some allowances which were not implemented for five years. There are many examples of how Congress works.
Kharge’s reply – In BJP, ‘B’ means betrayal, while ‘J’ means Jumla
Congress President Kharge, while responding to the PM’s allegations, said that lies, deceit, fraud, loot and propaganda are the names that describe your government. Kharge wrote on X that on May 16, 2024, you also claimed that you have taken inputs from more than 20 lakh people for the roadmap of 2047. The RTI filed in the PMO refused to give information revealing your lie.
In BJP, ‘B’ stands for betrayal, while ‘J’ stands for Jumla. Your drum beating plan of 100 days was just a sham. Modiji, before pointing fingers, please note that Modi’s guarantee is a cruel joke on 140 crore Indians.
The Congress President also asked 6 questions to the PM
1. What happened to the promise of 2 crore jobs in a year?
2. Why is inflation constantly increasing?
3. What happened to Achhe Din?
4. What happened to Vikas Bharat?
5. Neither will I eat, nor will I let others eat, what happened?
6. I will not let the country bow down, what happened?
Know what is the Freebies Issue, SC has also sent notice
The Supreme Court had a hearing on October 14 on the promises of free schemes made by political parties before the elections. A bench of CJI DY Chandrachud, Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice Manoj Mishra had issued notice to the Central Government and the Election Commission.
In the petition, Shashank J Sridhar of Karnataka has demanded that the promises of free schemes made by political parties during elections be declared as bribes. The Supreme Court has also been asked to immediately ban such schemes by the Election Commission. The court merged today’s petition with the old petitions for hearing.
The petitioner said, ‘Political parties do not tell how they will implement such schemes. This puts an immense burden on the government treasury. This is a fraud with the voters and the Constitution. Therefore, immediate and effective action should be taken to stop this.’
2 main petitions in the Supreme Court
October 2024: Petitioner Shashank J Sridhar said – Freebies should be considered as bribes
Petitioner Shashank J Sridhar’s lawyer Balaji Srinivasan raised the matter before CJI DY Chandrachud’s bench on Monday (October 14). He said that political parties promising free schemes during assembly or general elections should be considered as bribe or inducement for votes under the Representation of the People Act, 1951.
January 2022: BJP leader Ashwini Upadhyay filed a PIL
BJP leader Ashwini Upadhyay had approached the Supreme Court with a PIL against freebies. In his petition, Upadhyay appealed to ban the promises of freebies or free gifts to voters by political parties during elections. It has been demanded that the Election Commission should cancel the recognition of such parties.
What has happened in the Supreme Court so far?
The hearing of the freebies case was started in August 2022 by a three-member bench headed by former Chief Justice NV Ramana. Justice JK Maheshwari and Justice Hima Kohli were also in this bench. Later the then Chief Justice UU Lalit heard the case and now CJI DY Chandrachud is hearing the case.
The Election Commission had said that you should decide the definition of free schemes
During the hearing in the Supreme Court on August 11, the Election Commission had said that it is not in the power of the Election Commission to regulate the policy adopted by the parties on freebies.
Promising freebies before elections or giving them after elections is a policy decision of political parties. Taking any action without making rules in this regard would be a misuse of the powers of the Election Commission. The court should decide what are free schemes and what are not. After this we will implement it.
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