The Tamil Nadu chief minister Mr K Stalin moved the Supreme Court challenging the petition on freebies being announced by the parties during election time.
One BJP leader Ashwini Upadhyay filed a case in Supreme Court to stall the schemes announced by various political parties during election time aimed at wooing the voters.
Prime Minister Mr Modi’s statement on the issue raked up a controversy in the country with leaders of various political parties objecting to him. They accused him of branding the welfare schemes as freebies, which was incorrect.
New Delhi chief minister Mr Aravind Kejriwal has already challenged the petition filed by BJP leader. He said providing free health care and education does not amount to freebies.
The DMK leader and Tamil Nadu chief minister Mr K Stalin opined that political parties should announce welfare measures only to achieve social and economic order in their respective states. They cannot be dubbed as freebies.
He questioned the rationale behind offering tax holidays to foreign companies and tax subsidies to corporate companies. The Centre is giving those who are looting banks big contracts, he pointed out.
It may be noted that Telangana chief minister Mr K Chandrasekhar Rao vociferously rejected Mr Modi’s terming the welfare schemes as freebies. The Telangana people who were deprived and denied under the united Andhra Pradesh need to get great help from the state government. Hence, the Telangana government is offering free power besides launching several welfare schemes.
By opposing the welfare schemes for the poor and distressed, Mr Modi has become an enemy of the people in the country, he said.
By Gollapudi Srinivasa Rao