Maharashtra: PIL challenges ‘irrational distribution’ of freebies

A public interest litigation PIL filed by a socialcitizen activist from Nagpur challenging the increasing practice of the lsquoirrational distributionrsquo of freebiesstate largesse in the form of populist policies by the government of Maharashtra in the election year has evoked a strong response from the Bharatiya Janata Party which said the act of a lsquoCongress activistpetitionerrsquo had shown that the Opposition was unable to stand the success of the Ladki Bahin schemeWhat PIL saysPetitioner Anil Wadpalliwar has moved the Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court He has prayed that to ensure transparency in governance and to maintain the electoral sanctity of the Indian democracy an independent commissionauthority be formed or guidelines be framed for regulating all aspects ndash social financial and Constitutional of the distribution of state largesse from the state exchequerrsquos coffers He added that as a taxpayer he has been contributing to the state exchequer and therefore has the right to question the announcement of giving state largesseThe petitioner submitted that he was mindful and wary of the fact that policymaking was the function of the legislative and the courts cannot interfere with the same ldquoThe petitioner categorically states that the present petition does not challenge any one particular policy decision of the respondent state government but is challenging the rationale intent and objective of these populist policy decisions which are already having a detrimental effect on the financial social political and democratic condition of the citizens as well as the state exchequerrdquo it saidWadpalliwar has submitted data on expenditure for the populist schemes and also on the pending grants that are due for approved basic infrastructure projects in sectors such as health urban development and school education ldquoA huge sum from the statersquos budget is being utilised for these populist schemes Further these schemes provide direct distribution of goods services or monetary benefits to the electorate Such kind of largesse particularly in the form of irrational distribution of freebies subsidies and populous decisions particularly in an election year poses significant economic social enforcement and Constitutional concerns for the staterdquo it added saying further ldquoThis practice not only undermines the principles of good governance fiscal responsibility social welfare and the democratic principles enshrined in the Constitution but also exacerbates the statersquos fiscal deficit leading to the neglect of critical infrastructure sectors such as health education and infrastructure etcrdquoOn Wednesday the division bench of Justice Nitin Sambre and Justice Abhay Mantri had directed the petitionerrsquos lawyer Shrirang Bhandarkar to amend the PIL in view of any update in a petition against Ladki Bahin in the Supreme Court The bench also asked the petitioner to focus on the Financial Responsibility and Budget Management Act2005 The matter is scheduled for the next hearing in two weeks Congrsquos antiwoman standState BJPrsquos chief spokesperson Keshav Upadhye alleged that Wadpalliwar was a Congress activist associated with the former minister Sunil Kedar ldquoConsidering the overwhelming response that the Ladki Bahin scheme is receiving from women the Opposition is making concerted efforts to undermine the campaign The Opposition is unable to stand the success of the Ladki Bahin scheme and hence it has been challenged in the high court by Anil Vadpalliwar a worker for Congress leader Sunil Kedarrdquo said UpadhyeldquoThe Congress is using Wadpalliwar to carry out their agenda Congressrsquos antiwoman face has been exposed once again through this petition Wadpalliwar has petitioned for the closure of the Ladki Bahin scheme The Congress had previously also challenged the Ladki Bahin scheme in the court but the plea was denied Once more Congressrsquos hypocrisy has been revealedrdquo he addedAccording to Upadhye women were responding to the Mahayuti governmentrsquos initiative in overwhelming numbers ldquoThe Congress is attempting to sabotage the initiative in every way they can fearing that women may support the Mahayuti as a result of this move which could impact the Congress in the upcoming Assembly electionsrdquoThe BJP leader said that the Ladki Bahin scheme was aimed at the mothersrsquo and daughtersrsquo economic freedom selfreliance nourishment and empowerment ldquoThe Congress is putting out misinformation about this scheme in spite of the Mahayuti government clarifying that the scheme would not be stopped under any circumstances For the sole purpose of opposing it Congress and the Opposition are impeding the initiative that is beneficial to women But wise people will not fall for these liesrdquo stated Upadhye