Who Deserves Subsidy?

The BJD MP Baijayant 'Jay' Panda did what BJP MPs should have done. It appears as a double standard of PM Modi that he appeal to the Nation to give up their LPG gas subsidy but his own MPs enjoy food subsidy in the Parliament canteen like "the Mutton Biriyani" at just Rs 20. A total of Rs 60 Crore is given to the Parliament canteen which Jay Panda proposes to be withdrawn which is a very responsible move by him in spite of sitting in the opposition.

The question is not whether MPs deserve a subsidized meal or not. They are using various other subsidies besides the food in the Parliament. The question is how can the government appeal to the people to say no to their LPG subsidy when their MPs uses such bizarre and unnecessary subsidy and privileges? The British have left but their relics of colonial-mindset still remain in the country. The read beacons for the "Netas" and "Babus" make them feel like they are kings and that is why they forget that actually they are supposed to be public servants.

There have been many debates held on TV as well as in the Parliament whether a middle class needs LPG subsidy or not. And, of course, no serious conclusion came out of it as we know our politician's habit of making mountain out of a molehill. In the present scenario, if the government take a decision to redirect the subsidy of the middle class to a much weaker section of people, all the opposition party come together to accuse the government of depriving the needy despite the fact that government is actually willing to help the needy. This clash of ideology is a trademark of Indian Polity.

So far the #GiveItUp campaign of the government can be labelled as a "successful campaign" because of the fact that during the past year more than a million Indians have voluntarily surrendered their subsidised cooking gas. But it will be like cheating to the middle class if MPs continue to take the VVIP privileges but appealing others to give up their subsidy. The LPG gas subsidy may or may not be deserving for the middle class but the VVIP Privileges and subsidised food in the Parliament certainly not deserving of the MPs.

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