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Beating the model code of conduct: Candidates can’t give cash but governments can

There has been a flood of offers and sops from both parties, ironically started by the BJP which has been at the forefront of a campaign to eliminate freebies

Published

3 years ago

on

Shivraj Singh Chouhan

By Neeraj Mishra

Diwali has slowed down the race in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh while people celebrate and reflect on the booty on offer in the two states. There has been a flood of offers and sops from both parties, ironically started by the BJP, which has been at the forefront of a campaign to eliminate what it calls “freebies” and their impact on the economy. A lawyer associated with the party has even filed a PIL in the Supreme Court calling for an end to freebies offered by parties ahead of elections.

Sops should first be cleared by a board consisting of Income Tax payers. But in the current elections, it is not the free promises but the misuse of state apparatus that is making waves. After 17 years in the saddle, Shivraj Singh Chouhan suddenly woke up to the power of the word “free” and made it state policy. Just before the election dates were announced, he offered Rs 3,000 per month to all “pyari behenas”.

Two instalments have been delivered, one on Rakhi and the other on Karva Chauth. Similarly in Chhattisgarh, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel has offered Rs 2,500 per month to all unemployed youth below the age of 35. Three instalments have been delivered. If this is not enticement, what is? But it is not covered under the Model Code of Conduct as defined by the Election Commission of India.

Candidates can’t give cash but governments can. There is more, Chouhan has offered Rs 500 subsidy on gas to every “vivahit mahila”. So have Baghel and his Rajasthan counterpart Ashok Gehlot. Chouhan has another Seekho Kamao Scheme 2023 where all unemployed youth are being given Rs 10,000 so that they can learn some skill and start their own business.

This, of course, includes learning how to make tea and pakoras. All state governments going to elections have launched their own Mukhmantri Awas Yojana on the lines of the PM Awas Yojana. The above are instances of direct cash transfer by the state and the ruling party which gives it an obvious edge. So where is the level playing field for all candidates?

To level the field, opposition parties in both states have adopted the more the merrier promises. If the Congress in Chhattisgarh wanted to give Rs 2,800 per quintal of rice, the BJP immediately promised Rs 3,100 forcing the Congress to revise its offer to Rs 3,200. So the BJP decided to offer Rs 12,000 to every woman in the state per year. For this, it has started a fill-the-form campaign. All women who filled a BJP form declaring that they want the Rs 12,000 will be given Rs 12,000 if the party comes to power. So again this is a model contravention of the model code of conduct.

There is no cash given now but it will be given definitely. Modi ki Guarantee hai. Congress got smart and upped it to Rs 15,000 per year. So now just calculate the cash dole out. Every married woman will get Rs 3000 per month in MP. So if a family has only two women, the mother-in-law and the daughter-in-law, then the household gets Rs 72,000 per year. Add to it LPG cylinder for Rs 500 and Rs 1 per kg rice, so where is the need to work? Of course, the government will also give Rs 10 lakh health insurance cover and a PM or CM Awas.

There are other free ideas to avail of, from school dress to cycle and sewing machine to pakora stalls. In Chhattisgarh, each farmer will get Rs 1,000 above the MSP per quintal. It’s far above what the rest of the country gets. If there are two unemployed sons because farming is not employment, then each gets Rs 24,000 per year. The wife and daughter get Rs 12,000 or Rs 15,000 per year. Of course, the same gas, housing and health schemes apply here apart from free rice, dal and chana. Are we trying to bring up a generation which does not need to work? Is it only moot to ask this or wait for the Supreme Court to deliver its verdict?

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Asish Banerjee found dead in Rampurhat, Mamata Banerjee aide’s death shocks TMC

Former West Bengal deputy speaker and five-time Rampurhat MLA Asish Banerjee was found dead at a Trinamool Congress office in Birbhum.

Published

3 hours ago

on

August 16, 2026

By

Mamata Banerjee

Former West Bengal Assembly deputy speaker and Trinamool Congress leader Asish Banerjee was found dead at a party office next to his residence in Rampurhat, Birbhum district, on Sunday morning.

Police said his body was found hanging and was sent for postmortem. A large crowd gathered outside the Trinamool Congress office after news of his death spread.

Who was Asish Banerjee?

Asish Banerjee had served as the deputy speaker of the West Bengal Assembly when Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee was the state’s chief minister. He was also a five-time MLA from Rampurhat.

He had served as Bengal’s education and agriculture minister after Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress first came to power in the state.

Banerjee contested the West Bengal Assembly election earlier this year but lost the Rampurhat seat to BJP’s Dhruba Saha.

Asish Banerjee’s recent party role

Banerjee stepped down as chairman of the Trinamool Congress’s Birbhum district core committee in June. At the time, he said he would continue as a general member of the party.

He lived in the Hattalapara neighbourhood of Rampurhat, with the party office where his body was found located next to his house.

BJP gains in Birbhum

The BJP won six of the 11 Assembly constituencies in Birbhum in the latest state election. This marked a significant change from 2021, when the Trinamool Congress had won 10 seats in the district while the BJP had secured one.

Police have sent Asish Banerjee’s body for postmortem as the circumstances surrounding his death are being investigated.

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IPS Officer Nupur Prasad gets Medal for Meritorious Service after Sushant Singh Rajput probe

IPS officer Nupur Prasad, who led the CBI investigation into Sushant Singh Rajput’s death, has been selected for the Medal for Meritorious Service this year.

Published

1 day ago

on

August 15, 2026

By

IPS officer Nupur Prasad, who led the CBI investigation into actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s death, has been recognised with the Medal for Meritorious Service (MSM) this year.

A 2007-batch AGMUT cadre officer, Ms Prasad recently returned to the Delhi Police after completing her tenure with the CBI. She is currently serving as Joint Commissioner of Police in the Economic Offences Wing (EOW), where she oversees investigations involving financial and economic crimes.

The award is part of this year’s recognition for police personnel for distinguished and meritorious service. Such honours recognise contributions in areas including investigation, crime prevention, public service, law and order and administration.

Nupur Prasad’s role in Sushant Singh Rajput case

Ms Prasad came into national focus during the CBI investigation into the death of Sushant Singh Rajput, who was found dead at his Mumbai residence on June 14, 2020.

The case was transferred to the CBI in August 2020 following a complaint by the actor’s family and a legal dispute over jurisdiction.

During her tenure with the agency, Ms Prasad supervised key aspects of the investigation, including the examination of witness statements, forensic evidence and medical records.

In 2025, the CBI filed closure reports, saying its investigation found no evidence of foul play, abetment to suicide or criminal conspiracy in the actor’s death.

Career across Delhi Police, CBI

Ms Prasad has served in several positions during her career, including assignments in the Delhi Police, CBI, Arunachal Pradesh and West Bengal.

Before joining the CBI, she held senior positions in the Delhi Police and became the first Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) of Shahdara. During her tenure, she worked on establishing the district’s policing framework following its creation.

She also led operations targeting drug networks and illegal gambling activities while focusing on crime-prevention measures.

Later, as DCP of North Delhi, she oversaw security arrangements for major events, including Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort and Delhi University elections.

Community-focused policing initiatives

Beyond investigations, Ms Prasad has been associated with community-focused programmes involving women’s self-defence, youth development, cyber safety and drug de-addiction.

During her CBI tenure, she was also associated with several prominent investigations. Media reports have linked her to cases concerning businessman Vijay Mallya and the AgustaWestland helicopter deal.

Current role in Delhi Police

After completing her assignment with the CBI, Ms Prasad returned to the Delhi Police and took charge as Joint Commissioner of Police in the Economic Offences Wing.

The latest recognition adds to her career spanning investigations, policing and public service across several challenging assignments.

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Kharge, Rahul Gandhi skip Independence Day event for 2nd straight year

Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi skipped the 80th Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort for the second consecutive year.

Published

1 day ago

on

August 15, 2026

By

Rahul Kharge

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi skipped the 80th Independence Day celebrations at Delhi’s Red Fort for the second consecutive year.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the Independence Day celebrations at the historic venue on Saturday.

The absence of the two senior Congress leaders comes amid strained relations between the ruling party and the Opposition, which further deteriorated during the Monsoon Session of Parliament that concluded on Thursday.

2024 seating controversy

Rahul Gandhi had attended the Independence Day celebrations in 2024 but his seating arrangement triggered a controversy. The Congress leader, who holds the status of a Cabinet minister as Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, was seated in the second-last row during the ceremony at the Red Fort.

The Opposition had criticised the seating arrangement, calling it an insult to the people. The Defence Ministry, which organised the event, said the arrangement had been modified to accommodate Olympians at the venue.

According to protocol, the Leader of the Opposition is seated in the front row during ceremonial events.

Opposition-ruling party tensions

Relations between the government and the Opposition remained tense during the Monsoon Session, which ended on Thursday.

The session saw repeated clashes between the two sides, with both the Opposition and the ruling party blaming each other for the low productivity of Parliament.

The session began on July 20, with students marching towards Parliament on the first day. Twelve bills were passed during the session, while detailed discussion took place on only one legislation, concerning paper leaks.

The Congress, along with the Trinamool Congress and Samajwadi Party, also boycotted the customary tea party hosted by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla after the House was adjourned sine die.

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