Regional

Free Phones, Gold, Loans, Power,Land to Amma’s Children

Posted on May 7, 2016

5 min read

The nation witnessed the arrest of the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalitha with the charge of corruption in the year 2014. However, it is really hard to take grip on such politicians who have high influence on the common people in a democratic nation like India. Here, the verdict of the common people is ultimate at times. When she was jailed, a part of the common people cried saying that she had a lot of contribution towards the economic development of Tamil Nadu whereas her critics said that she was a criminal with huge financial scam issue as her background. She was considered as a corrupt figure who manipulated the system.

As the State Assembly Elections of Tamil Nadu is approaching, some of her plans that have been included in her manifesto has been announced, most of which target the women of the weaker sections of the society. She, as a big politician knows the strategies and whom to make the strategic target to win back the confidence of the people. Jayalalitha, who is considered as AMMA of the state of Tamil Nadu actually ‘knows’ what her children need. The manifesto of the election has been designed accordingly.

AIADMK leader Jayaram Jayalalitha greets the audience during her swearing-in-ceremony as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu state in Chennai, India, Saturday, May 23, 2015. An appeals court acquitted the powerful politician in southern India of corruption charges earlier this month, clearing the way for her to return to public office. She was forced last year to step down as the highest elected official in Tamil Nadu after a Bangalore court in September convicted her of possessing wealth disproportionate to her income and sentenced her to four years in prison. (R. Senthil Kumar/ Press Trust of India via AP) — The out of the box things of the list includes 50% subsidy for women to buy scooters, 100 free units of electricity for households every two months, free laptops for class 11 and 12 students with Internet, eight grams of gold for women getting married, free cellphones for all ration-card holders, etc. As she has already visited the jail once, naturally people are annoyed with her announcements like these. The critics already have a lot to say against her and now that she has included these in the manifesto, she herself has added the cherry on the top for her critics. They are saying that while much of Tamil Nadu is below the poverty level, it is imprudent to announce things like Laptops, Internet and Gold for free. Many people of the state still starve half of the day and thus luxuries like these are nothing but an insult to their poverty.

According to the economic situation of the state right now, the development and the empowerment of the women is needed, but not in these terms, rather in terms of education and jobs and more prospects after education. Right now the political scenario of the nation shows that the women are being targeted to gain people’s sympathy. Starting right from Mamta’s Kanyasree to Modi’s Beti Bachao Beti Padhao campaign, all are meant to target the women.

Apart from these the things that got listed in Jayalalitha’s manifesto are Rs 18,000 as maternity assistance, maternity leave for nine months and Rs 40,000 crore in loans for farmers from 2016-2021.

It seems that Jayalalitha is all set to fight the elections again. She does not want to leave a single area that could bring her votes. Starting right from the households to the farmers and women, she has targeted every important sections of the society. Her manifesto is very strategically planned.