End ‘revdi culture’, states getting immersed in debts: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday addressed through virtual mode tens of lakhs of BJP workers making a strong pitch for ending “revdi culture” (culture of distributing freebies).
The PM’s address to BJP workers was part of the party’s effort to boost its campaign for 10 May Assembly polls in Karnataka.
Modi also hit out at the Congress on the issue, saying when the party’s warranty itself has expired, its guarantees have no meaning.
For Karnataka polls, Congress has announced ‘guarantees’ that include 200 units of free power to all households, 10 kg of rice free to every member of BPL household (Anna Bhagya), Rs 2,000 monthly assistance to woman head of every family (Gruha Lakshmi), and Rs 3,000 every month for graduate youth and Rs 1,500 for diploma holders (both in the age group of 18-25) for two years, on coming to power.
The Prime Minister said states are getting immersed in debt because of freebies, and emphasised that the country and the governments cannot be run like this.
“In our country some political parties have made politics the means of power and corruption, to achieve this, they are using all means like ‘saam, dham, dhand, bedh’. These political parties don’t think about the future of the country, future generation of Karnataka, its youth, women,” Modi said. Modi said because of freebie politics, several States are making large scale spendings for the sake of partisan politics, which is also eating into the “share” of future generations. “The country cannot be run like this, governments cannot be run like this. Governments have to think about the future, along with the present. Governments cannot run just for day-to-day needs, they have to work on asset creation, so that the lives of families are on track for decades,” he added during the “Karyakartarondige Samvada” (an interaction with workers)
Modi affirmed that the BJP was not taking the shortcuts, but was working for developed India with good investment in modern physical, digital and social infrastructure, and that his other interpretation for FDI (Foreign Direct Investment) is ‘First Develop India’
“BJP doesn’t think about five years of its own rule, but thinks about the country. We don’t think about the party but think about the country. We don’t think just about present electoral politics but about taking India ahead in the next 25 years.” To address some temporary challenges, all possible help is being provided for the poor, like free ration, free vaccination, he said and added that it is the duty of the government, “but if we have to make India progress, we have to get rid of this revdi culture.”
“I appeal to youth, some parties may try to make you fools by distributing freebies, but it’s your duty to think about your future and that of your future generations….”
Accusing the Congress of engaging in “revdi culture” in Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan, Modi said, their poll guarantees have still remained as guarantee. “Congress means guarantee of corruption, guarantee of nepotism.”
“Congress has reached a stage where it cannot give true guarantees, you are aware that Congress’s warranty has expired, then what is the meaning of its guarantees,” he added.