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In the news yesterday: Some Villagers, the stakeholders (no more beneficiaries), of the expensive Welfare scheme of the Government of Tamil Nadu, distribution of Goats for rural poor free of cost, were being sent to the neighboring Pondicherry’s Meat Market. Those goats with the metal tags in their ears testified that they are the welfare scheme goats. Immediately the beneficiaries were being complaint to Police in the District of Villupuram for selling the goats illegally and other bureaucratic actions would also follow suit. Let us hope the end users of the meat the innocent consumers of Pondicherry would be spared from the wrath of the State Government of Tamil Nadu for eating the goats given by the Government as part of the freebies.
It is at this point a series of questions arise in my mind:
(1) What is the offence committed by the beneficiary? and
(2) If at all an offence made out does the offence confine to the beneficiary alone?
The above news is available in this link, thanks to my dear friend Mr.Bosco Domique of Times of India.
The History of Freebies in Tamil Nadu
An economics post graduate, scholar, playwright, novelist, writer and Tamil Nadu’s ever memorable public speaker and the founder of ‘Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam’ (DMK) Mr. C.N.Annadurai came out with a sensational campaign slogan to oust the congress from the power in the year 1967. Since it was nearly twenty years after Independence that the entire country was ruled by the Indian National Congress, and that even Pandit Nehru was no more (He passed away in 1964), the congress party was slowly getting de-institutionalised. Congress men were very complacent during the elections as they thought they would come back. In Tamil Nadu, because of the clash of personal whims and fancies of Mr.Kamaraj Nadar and Mr.C.Rajagopalachariar, the Congress was already weakening.
It was at that time the DMK was extremely socially mobilizing with every nook and corner of the State and student movements became identical with DMK’s party ideology. CNA( Mr.C.N.Annadurai) anchored his political ideology in Tamil Language and Identity and revived a cultural revolution perhaps from getting inspired from China at that time. In that context to mobilize people, CNA used this slogan ‘Two measures (roughly three or more kilos) of Rice for Re.1”.This campaign slogan was a mega hit and since then started this freebies mania among Tamil nadu Politicians.
Karunanidhi’s Expansion of Populism
In a short sentence, one can say it was Mr.M.Karunanidhi who expanded the supermarket of Populist Politics and extended to Slum Clearance and free distribution of food, clothing and shelter and paved the way for a new Political culture that party’s political manifestos became a kind of a honey trap of innocent voters.
MGR’s Improvisation
Mr.M.G.Ramachandran, who eclipsed Mr.M.Karunanidhi and DMK in Tamil Nadu, a very popular cine actor turned Chief Minister ( Since then Tamil Cinema Heroes developed the confidence of becoming the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu) went One step ahead of improvising Karunanidhi’s freebies into “ Transposing the family responsibilities over the State”, that his popular schemes completely made a common lay man of Tamil Nadu to get deeply re-inforced that State Government is a facilitator for a comfortable living, however lazy a person/head of the family is.
Later Days
Since late 1990’s the DMK has become a party for promotion of family’s welfare of Mr.M.Karunanidhi and for the AIADMK, the welfare of Sasikala and her relatives and in this process, populism was the only dose of opium for the furious voters who lacked choice as they are in between the ‘Devil’ and the ‘Deep Sea’.
Karunanidhi’s Rs. 2 for One Kilo Rice and now free rice (When the market price of Rice is not less than Rs.20/-) are the utterly foolish and irrational schemes devised without any application of mind. When the food grains are distributed through PDS (Public Distribution System), it is obvious that they get into the markets of the neighboring states that Rice prices went down in Kerala and Andhra because of TN’s free rice scheme!
Goats and Cows and What Not?
Look at the fate of public policy making in Tamil Nadu. There are no grazing grounds for the cattles to graze, but State spends on free distribution of cattles. There is no market access for end produces as in the case of Punjab, but here in TN free cultivable land is given. When the Government is least bothered about controlling the price of Agricultural inputs such the increasing price of Fertilizers, Farm Equipments Government is boasting of its free electricity. Now to add on to this mockery, free distribution of goats and cows are given without paying any attention for improving the quality of life of an average man.
We need enhanced public expenditure on service sector especially School Education and Higher Education. We need to eradicate farmer’s suicides and their distress. Instead of improving capacities and capabilities that Amartya Sen always keep pleading to Modern States, we are addicted to ‘adhocism’. Goats sent to Market is a classical example.
All in the Game
Along with the beneficiaries who sold the goats, the entire political parties of the State are the culprits for maintaining this status of people as if they need to be ever be dependent on the elected Governments. If not AIADMK, then DMK or some others, the Political Parties always seek to keep this situation stable to maximize their survival.
Undoing and Doing welfare schemes is as wise as the picture afore states – using a correction fluid to correct the sentences printed in a computer’s screen through a word processor. Imaginary Solutions for Real Problems!!!
Let us touch our heart and say, Don’t the people in distress need fishing rod and not fishes and more importantly “ An Access to Fishing Pond” – which is conveniently ignored by the ruling Political Class? What legitimacy we have to open our mouth and speak about “Achieving an All inclusive Growth in the XII Plan?”
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