BJP hits out at DMK, AIADMK for 'freebie culture' in TN

Salem/Virudhunagar (TN), May 13: Senior BJP leaders Rajnath Singh and Prakash Javadekar today hit out at the DMK and AIADMK, which have alternately ruled Tamil Nadu, for introducing "freebie culture" in the state and said what the people wanted was employment and not freebies.

"In the last 10 years, by giving freebies to the public, government has spent Rs 11,500 crore. Both DMK and AIADMK want to rule the state by giving away freebies," Singh said at an election meeting in Salem.

Both the Dravidian parties had 'brainwashed' the people by giving away freebies, he alleged. The Union Home Minister said during the 10 years Congress- led UPA rule at the Centre, there were several scams, including the Rs 1.76 lakh crore 2G scam.

However, since the BJP-led NDA assumed power and adopted a transparent policy, coal auction had netted a profit of Rs two lakhs crore. He also referred to the December 2015 floods in Chennai and said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had rushed to Tamil Nadu to take stock of the situation and sanctioned Rs 2,000 crore to the state.

In Virudhunagar, Union Minister Prakash Javadekar said there was no use in implementing the freebie scheme when what people wanted was not freebies, but jobs. Citing the example of giving 20 kg rice free of cost, he said the Centre was bearing Rs 32 as cost and the state government was spending only Rs three.

He criticised DMK and AIADMK for promising to bring in prohibition and said though they had assured it in their manifestos, neither party would do so. He claimed that only BJP was capable of it and would implement it if voted to power.

PTI