PM Modi's "Freebie" Caution In Madhya Pradesh Amid BJP-Congress Race

The launch of a new healthcare programme in Madhya Pradesh on Saturday played host to a fresh attack by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the opposition over promises of so-called "freebies" like water and electricity that have sponsored a string of state election defeats for his party BJP, most recently in Karnataka.

The combative address came in a state where the ruling BJP has announced a slew of schemes dubbed "freebies" by the opposition, such as Hindu pilgrimages for the elderly, a Rs 1,000 monthly allowance for women and Rs 2,000 biannually for farmers ahead of the election due later year. The opposition Congress too has promised a series of similar schemes.

Launching the National Sickle Cell Anaemia Eradication Mission 2047 in Shahdol district, with just about four months to go for a state poll, PM Modi said the Congress and other "family-centric" parties are giving "false" guarantees to people to score wins.

Blaming "dynastic parties" for "working only for the welfare of their families", he also said old squabbles among them indicate there is no guarantee of opposition unity and noted that "people facing graft charges and out on bail" are partnering those "who have been convicted of scams".

"Beware of false (poll) guarantees being given by family-centric parties, including Congress. Such people have brought schemes of guarantees, though they don't have their own (political) guarantee," the Prime Minister said.

"False guarantees" from the opposition mean there is "something wrong somewhere", he said, adding that their promises of free power, travel, pensions, cheaper petrol, and jobs all have hidden costs or negative consequences.

"When they guarantee free electricity, it means they are readying to make electricity more expensive. Guaranteeing free travel means the future destruction of transport services in that state. Guarantee of raising pension means government employees in that state won't even get salaries on time. Guaranteeing cheap petrol means they are readying to take money out of your pockets by hiking taxes and guarantee of increased employment means they'll come with policies which will ruin industries and businesses in the future," PM Modi said.

PM Modi praised his government's efforts, claiming that they had provided free ration to more than 80 crore people under the PM Gareeb Kalyan Yojana, free treatment under Ayushman Yojana to 50 crore poor beneficiaries, smoke-free cooking to 10 crore women under the Ujjawala scheme, and self-employment loans under Mudra Yojana to 8 crore beneficiaries.

PM Modi's criticism extended to Congress and parties, which he accused of hobnobbing together, an apparent reference to the recent meeting of anti-BJP parties held in Patna.

"They do not have the guarantee of taking the normal family of the country forward. Those who are facing corruption charges are out on bail. They are together with those who are sentenced for scams," PM Modi said.

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