Court on freebies
The concern expressed by the Supreme Court of India on the issue of ‘reckless freebies’ being offered to the electorate, election after election, should be viewed in the right spirit by all political parties as the freebie culture is creating a heavy burden on the exchequer. While it is acceptable that welfare measures should reach the downtrodden, it is a sine qua non that the parties should ensure that the revenues generated (from taxes paid by citizens) are not squandered by offering freebies left, right and centre with the sole purpose of political gains.
S. Seshadri,
Chennai
The culture of freebies, especially before elections, is the new potent tool to woo the disgruntled voter and sway the election result. Providing long-term benefits to the poor and not pushing the economy into the red must be the mantra of all political parties.
Dr. Biju C. Mathew,
Thiruvananthapuram
One should remember that the freebie culture was designed and promoted by some political parties not with a lofty ideal of helping the poor and the needy but only as an easier and more attractive way of capturing votes and occupying the seat of power. The expenditure on freebies is borne by the state, and in turn the additional burden is shared by all citizens. Having got used to it, the people expect more from the state, and the burden becomes unbearable. States are already reeling under a heavy debt burden as a result of salaries and pension payments. Further, with GST, States are unable to tap other sources to generate more revenue. Therefore, political parties should think of other options if they are really interested in the welfare of the poor.
A. Micheal Dhanaraj,
Coimbatore
There is no clarity on what can be dubbed as freebies in India where millions still struggle to make a decent living. In the last few years, mega bank loans have been written off. The assets of public sector undertakings are often being sold at a price much below their fair price. Should not these rank as freebies? Don’t they impact the “national economic wellbeing”?
Incidentally, the case of opaque electoral bonds — the perception is that they are an aid in scuttling democratic choices — has been pending in the Supreme Court. A court which is concerned over “distorting the informed decisions of voters” ought to act fast.
Manohar Alembath,
Kannur, Kerala
Instead of dabbling in policy matters, the top court ought to devote its energy in deciding several matters of great constitutional and national importance challenging the validity of statutory provisions, and the disposal of cases pending for years. If the judiciary begins to speak the language of the Prime Minister, it diminishes the image of the top court.
S.N.Shukla,
Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh
Taiwan tensions
It is not a far-fetched scenario that China vis-à-vis Taiwan might duplicate the paradigm of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The common cause would be the U.S.’s ‘interference’ in the neighbourhood. The sabre-rattling by China during U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit might escalate since military flashpoints have an unpredictable nature. In the event of a conflict, economic sanctions on China will be inevitable, which could impact us. India has to do some diplomatic tightrope walking since the Indian economy is hugely dependent on the twin factors of imports from China and exports to the West.
R. Thomas Paul,
Bengaluru
Chess match
The Fischer versus Spassky match (OpEd, ‘From the Archives’, July 28) brought back memories of the Cold War, in what was billed as the “match of the century”. “Chess is war on board,” Fischer once said. “The object is to crush the other man’s mind”. The U.S. may not have won the Cold War in Reykjavik, but it won the battle on the chessboard. It was truly a match between an eccentric genius and a gentleman. Though it was Fischer who provided the spectacle, we forget what a great player and sportsman Boris Spassky was. Their 1992 rematch helped mellow some of the acrimony of 1972.
M. Anand Ram Seshu,
Bengaluru
