AAP Promises Free BEST Bus Rides To Women In Upcoming Mumbai Civic Polls 2022

Aam Aadmi Party, currently the ruling government in Delhi, is set to enter Mumbai Civic Polls in 2022. The party which has promoted freebies to woo voters, has once again made certain poll promises, that include free power, free water supply and free travel for Women in BEST buses, along with free mohalla clinics.

The AAP which has made inroads in the Zilla Parishad and panchayat polls is now working to make a dent in the Mumbai civic polls to be held in late February next year. The party’s manifesto is currently being drafted which shall challenge other parties in the city, namely, the Shiv Sena, BJP, Congress and NCP.

Speaking to media, National Executive member of the AAP, Preeti Sharma Menon said,

If we are voted to power, we would give 200 units of electricity free to residential consumers that come under BEST. We are also saying that women should be allowed free travel in BEST buses and we would set up Mohalla clinics after 1 kilometre where there would be free testing as well as treatment.

The AAP leader said that the party is also planning to provide water up to a certain limit free to residents in the city.

AAP member insisted that these were not freebies and the BMC could afford to pay it. Menon added,

What we are talking about is doable. We have proved it in Delhi. In Delhi, the total bill of such announcements comes to only Rs 2,000 crore per year. Thousands of people in Mumbai do not have access to basic health care and our plan for free tests and treatment through clinics is going to benefit them.

She also said that the AAP will completely upgrade the municipal schools in Mumbai on par with private schools as they had done in Delhi.

Menon said that they are not just counting on the freebies but also on the work during the pandemic helping out labourers as well those who need monthly rations. Speaking to ET, Menon quoted,

We have a lot of goodwill among the people. We believe that there is a space for a secular party in Mumbai and Maharashtra as the Congress and NCP have aligned with the Shiv Sena and there is BJP on the other end, so there is space for a secular party.

MDO Take:

• While we shall refrain from commenting on other free offers by AAP, we shall be very critical on gender appeasement promoted in the name of women empowerment
• When a party wants to offer ‘free’ travel to fully-abled women in BEST buses, do they have any moral right to speak about equality?
• Effectively, an old gentleman or a male senior citizen will have to pay up, while a young and earning woman who can well afford to pay will be excused, purely because of her Gender
• Most of the common citizens today, can see through these gender card politics, which has no logic whatsoever by pardoning bus fares only for women
• In our opinion, no one should be given this exemption, unless they are economically deprived
• As a country, we are only encouraging free pass culture for women, which will entitle them to everything as a right in the future – in the name of Gender 
• Men must speak up and make themselves heard against such highly biased and Gender Card policies – why should tax payers face such inequality?
• Infact, every single self dependent woman too, must speak up against this free culture awarded to them, in the name of empowerment 
• Such promotions are nothing, but a design to keep women always victimised and as an oppressed class

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