Populism to the Core!

Interesting is the plank that the parties are fighting on.. Amusing is their election manifesto.. With no ‘real’ issue to raise and fight on, the parties are madly scrambling to grab the attention of the voting public and in the process they are doling out freebies like crazy. The parties are promising the sky and earth just like an obliging (or is tactful a better word?!) parent trying to pacify a kid throwing tantrums!! Gone are the days when parties gave out money or clothes during election time to ‘buy’ voter loyalty. The politicians seem to have uncovered a more ingenious way than to burn a hole in their pocket in this big gamble. The solution: use the taxpayer’s money instead and make it contingent upon being voted to power.

Sun TV beams ads every five minutes in support of the DMK saying "Vote for the party that gives free Colour TV, Gas stove, Rice at Rs. 2/kg, 2 acres of free land" and what not. ADMK on its part, through Jaya TV is promising "free bicycles, books, free computers for all +2 students, 10kg of free rice, (which works out to Rs. 1.75/kg) and even writing off of all farmer debts amongst other freebies"!

This is as populist and inefficient as it can get. Rather than promising good governance, progressive schemes and innovative solutions to people’s problems, the parties are resorting to the easier, but costly way to power. Thereby, they are subjecting not only their government, but all future governments to an irreversible curse. Such measures are sure to plunge the State’s coffers to abysmal levels, as if they aren’t bad already. Its high time that the parties and the public wake up to the fact that such ‘generous subsidies’ are not practical today. Its time we looked at things from a long-term-sustenance and efficiency perspective rather than a short-term-gain point of view.

PS: Two more days to go for the elections!