Ration scheme extended
The Prime Minister’s announcement of the free ration scheme being extended for another five years (Page 1, November 5) raises pertinent questions. If the free ration scheme is not a freebie, what is it then?
Why raise a hue and cry when other political parties announce free schemes? If freebies are acceptable, why not accept them in all honesty? If 80 crore Indians are in dire straits and would need free supplies, then how can we claim to be a nation that is developing rapidly? How would the government manage free supplies? Why cannot there be a system where food grains are made available at affordable prices? Our progress seems to be lopsided and uneven. By providing a few kilogrammes of ration for free, are we not acknowledging the fact that many go to bed without a square meal?
Balasubramaniam Pavani,
Secunderabad
Graft and Chhattisgarh
While the investigative agencies are free to probe corruption, they need to be circumspect when it comes to making premature statements that are likely to influence a voter. In a way, the development in Chhattisgarh reinforces the Opposition’s claim of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) being weaponised to target the BJP’s political rivals. One would not be surprised if the press statement by the ED as far as the Mahadev betting App promoters case is concerned is at the behest of the powers that be. Unfortunately, the Election Commission seems indifferent to what is a breach of the model code of conduct.
S.K. Choudhury,
Bengaluru
