Legislators, not SC, should take freebies call: Naidu

NEW DELHI: Former Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Wednesday said the issue of political parties doling out ‘freebies’ should be decided by elected representatives and not by the Supreme Court or the judiciary. Speaking at the book launch of ‘A New India’ by former Union minister Arun Jaitley, Naidu said issues like anti-defection and freebies are being discussed in the public forum and people are taking the matters to 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 also insisted that it is not for the Supreme Court or the judiciary to decide on these subjects, as had been endorsed by the apex court, as these matters must be discussed and decided by the people in power because it is them that the people of the country people elect to power.
“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. This has to be kept in mind along with promises made and performances,” Naidu said.