The amount spent on freebies by the Karnataka Government is Rs. 52,000 crores, which is 12.5% of the total budget of 409,549 crores. The freebies allocation of the outgoing DMK government was Rs. 98,857 crores, a whopping 25% of the total revenue receipts of only Rs. 344,575 crores. The Tamil Nadu Government has a debt of Rs. 10 lakh crores as per the oath-taking ceremony speech of the new Chief Minister. However, based on the plethora of new freebies promised by TVK in its election manifesto, additional allocation required for freebies is Rs. 42,000 crores. All this money comes from our hard-earned income, which we pay as GST, income and other taxes. While Kannada-medium Government schools, even within Bengaluru city, are in a pathetic state, the Government is busy wasting money and turning citizens into lazy people by providing free electricity without considering people's financial status. With the use of LED lights and a solar water heater, it is very easy to contain the power usage within 200 W per month for most families. Thus, even people with a good income are misusing this provision.

Years ago, I was travelling in a bus that took people from the Delhi airport between the different terminals, and the ticket was Rs. 20. A lady sitting near me wanted to buy the ticket, but the conductor told her that it was free for women! This nonsense rule was created by Mr Arvind Kejriwal as a benefit for women in the Delhi Union territory. I don’t know whether it is still being continued, or the new Government was sensible enough to remove this. The same rule exists in Karnataka too. I can understand women below the poverty line given free bus rides, but why should rich women who can afford air travel get free rides on Government buses?

It is the duty of every state Government to invest in excellent education for school children, so that they can stand on their own legs in the future. They should not encourage people to become lazy and corrupt by giving freebies, misusing public money. So, I request you to kindly sign this petition seeking intervention from the Supreme Court and also the President of India, preventing elected representatives from wasting public money on meaningless freebies, driving the states into high debt.  Definitely, it must not be allowed as part of the election campaign. Valid expenditures must be for great school education for all, good medical facilities for the poor people, and schemes that improve productive employment for all. Simply giving away things like free electricity, laptops, and all other welfare schemes must be made illegal forthwith.