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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

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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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Watch: Lalu Prasad Yadav offers prayers at Tirupati with family members

Bihar deputy minister Tejaswi Yadav said he had come here with his family, his mother, father, his wife, brother and his daughter Katyayani to seek blessings of Lord Balaji. He said his daughter Katyayani had her Mundan ceremony. He said the whole family prayed for everyone’s well being so that India moves forward and everyone prospers.

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Rashtriya Janta Dal President Lalu Prasad Yadav, his wife Rabri Devi, their son Tejaswi Yadav and their son Tejaswi Yadav and their family offered prayers at Tirupati Balaji Temple in Andhra Pradesh on Saturday. The Yadav family participated in the Suprabhatam seva, the first pre-dawn seva performed in the temple of Lord Venkateshwara.

Bihar deputy minister Tejaswi Yadav said he had come here with his family, his mother, father, his wife, brother and his daughter Katyayani to seek blessings of Lord Balaji. He said his daughter Katyayani had her Mundan ceremony. He said the whole family prayed for everyone’s well being so that India moves forward and everyone prospers.

The Yadav family reached Tirumala on Friday. They offered prayers to Lord Balaji in the early hours of Saturday which is also Tejawi Yadav’s wedding anniversary. Tejaswi Yadav took to X(formerly Twitter) and wrote this morning he received energy and blessings from Lord Venteshwara by worshiping and having a darshan at Lord Shri Tirupati Balaji Temple with his family. He said Tirupati Balaji Temple is a wonderful example of excellent craftsmanship and a symbol of devotion, faith and reverence, located in the Tirumala mountains of Andhra Pradesh.

Yadav said the family prayed for prosperity, peace and happiness and welfare of the state of Bihar. He said today on the day of his marriage anniversary, the Mundan Sanskar of daughter Katyayani was also performed. Yadav shared his love for travelling to spiritual places.

He said spiritual, historical and mythological places give out positive energy and it is a means of gaining knowledge, divine intervention, spiritual solace, self realization, meditation and helps in making a connection with God. He said this helps in personal and community development and helps to understand the reason for basic purpose of life.The post has gone viral on social media with 3,38,600 views

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Watch: Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde drives a tractor at cleanliness drive at Juhu Beach

Maharastra Chief Minister Shinde inspected the paddy crop damaged due to unseasonal rain at Tarsa in Nagpur district. Deputy Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis accompanied CM Shinde and Agriculture Minister Dhananjay Munde.

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Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Saturday, paid tributes to Mahatma Gandhi in Mumbai. He also participated in a cleanliness drive at Juhu Beach A video circulating on social media shows Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde driving a tractor while participating in the cleanliness drive at Juhu Beach.

The video has got 60,700 views on X(Formerly Twitter). Large number of comments started coming on the social media post. One user said this whole thing is a one day drama. Another user said this is a foolish gimmick by the chief minister.

Earlier on Thursday Shinde inspected the paddy crop damaged due to unseasonal rain at Tarsa in Nagpur district. Deputy Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis accompanied CM Shinde and Agriculture Minister Dhananjay Munde. Besides Mauda Taluka, large scale damage has been reported in Ramtek Parshivani taluka.

In Nagpur district a total of 124 villages have been affected by rain, 852 hectares of crop has been damaged Earlier on November 27, Natrionalist Congress Party (NCP) MP Supriya Sule urged the  Maharashtra government to help the farmers after unseasonal rains damaged crops across the state of Maharashtra.

Sule said Maharshtra is standing at a difficult turn. She said a lot of damage has been caused by untimely rains. She said everybody should start to work with sensitivity for the state and farmers. She requested the Maharashtra government to immediately call a team from Delhi, and a full inspection should be carried out.

Sule said the central government should give more funds to Maharashtra. She said wherever farmers have incurred losses, the loans should be waved off. She said she is going to present this issue in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. Heavy rains on Sunday had caused heavy damage to the crops including leafy vegetables, sugarcane, tomatoes, onions and grapes.

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Veteran actor Leelavathi passes away: PM Modi, Siddaramaiah, DK Shivakumar pay tribute to late actor

PM Modi took to X(formerly Twitter) to mourn the late actor. He said he was saddened to hear the passing of the legendary kannada film actor personality Leelavathiji. He said she was a true icon of cinema and she graced the silver screen with her versatile acting in numerous films.

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Kannada film industry veteran Leelavathi passed away. She was 85 years old. She had been admitted to private hospital in Nelamangala on the outskirts of Bengaluru. She was suffering from many diseases due to her old age. Her son Vinod Raj told the media that he is now left alone. He thanked chief minister Siddaramaiah and deputy chief minister DK Shivkumar for getting her admitted to the hospital.

PM Modi took to X(formerly Twitter) to mourn the late actor. He said he was saddened to hear the passing of the legendary kannada film actor personality Leelavathiji. He said she was a true icon of cinema and she graced the silver screen with her versatile acting in numerous films. PM Modi said her diverse roles and remarkable talent will always be remembered and admired. He said his thoughts were with her family and admirers.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah paid his final tribute to the mortal remains of veteran Kannada legendary actress Leelavathi at Ravindra Kalakshetra. He said he had grown up watching Leelavathi’s films. He said she was a perfect artist and brought life to every role she played. He said her acting was still in front of her eyes. He said along with acting she was deeply involved in social work.

He said he was deeply saddedned by the death of Leelavathi, who had always adopted the saying that kindness is the root of religion. He said may her departed soul rest in peace. Siddaramaiah said the news of the passing away of veteran kannada actor Leelavathi is painful. He said just last week on hearing about her illness he visited her house and enquired about her health and talked to her son Vinod Raj.

The Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivkumar visted the mortal remains of the veteran actor Leelavathi at Rabindra Kalakshetra today and paid her last respects and condoled with her family including her son Vinod Raj.

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