Issue of freebies should be decided by elected representatives, not judiciary: Venkaiah Naidu

PTI

New Delhi, August 24

Joining the debate on freebies, former Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu said on Wednesday the issue should be decided by elected representatives and not by the Supreme Court or judiciary.

A debate has started in the country over freebies being given by some state governments as it could have serious implications on the economy.

Naidu was speaking at the launch book ‘A New India’ by Arun Jaitley.

The former Vice President said these days a lot of issues like anti-defection and freebies are being discussed and people taking the matter to the courts.

“(For) Interpretation of law one can go to court but what law needs to be done, what policy has to be formulated that is in the domain of Parliament and political parties,” he said.

Naidu stressed that it is not for the Supreme Court or the judiciary as these issues should be decided by the people in power because people elect them.

“I do have a strong opinion about freebies because what is freebie first of all has to be defined. What are the finances of states and centre has to be kept in mind and promises made and performances,” said the former Vice President.

He said such issues should be widely debated before reaching any conclusion.

“You don’t have budgetary provision, you don’t have sound economy but you want to give left and right. That’s why the three-line mantra given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi—Reform, Perform and Transform—is very very important,” Naidu added.

The book is a compilation of selected writings between 2014-2019 by late Arun Jaitley.

Jaitley, the first finance minister of the Modi government, died on August 24, 2019, at the age of 66 years.

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