Roti, kapda aur makaan. Aur TV bhi. What next ? A laptop ?

I overslept and am late for work. Since I have to stop at the telephones office and my
bank on the way, I am rushing to work. Enroute, there is a small traffic jam in one of
the streets at Trust Puram - a traffic jam due to lots of people on the streets.

Not many vehicles though, just a few autos. Most of the people seem to be carrying big
cartons & are all smiles. Some are loading these cartons into auto-rickshaws, while the
rest are carrying it on their shoulders.

Does not take much time for me to figure out what the cartons are. They are the free
TVs doled out by the Tamilnadu government - an election promise of the ruling combine
being fulfilled. As I cross the traffic jam, there is some sort of a government office where
the TVs are being handed over and there are some 500 or more people standing in 5-6
queues. Waiting for their turn to get the free TV.

I am sure this must be a first in the world. A government doling out TVs to the electorate.
And that too in a state, which already has a high TV penetration, thanks to the influence
movies have had here for decades. Which means most of these people now have a TV for
the bedroom too.

I even know some pretty well-off people who stood in line to get this TV, just because
it is free. And in India, if it is free, we find it tough to resist, even if it is a product that
is low-quality or something we don't need.

But hey, how is this TV free ? Is the politician paying for this from his pocket ? No.
It is the state that bears this burden and where does the state get money from ?
From the taxes that you and me pay. Taxes which should ideally be used to
enforce law & order, to maintain roads, storm-water drains, to provide better
administration etc etc.

As always, the politicians know that we are suckers for freebies and use this to push
valid issues of public concern under the carpet, while we stand in line for free TVs.
Come next elections, the promise will be free laptops for everyone. Doesn't matter
that most people dont have any use for it. As long as there are suckers like me/you
to foot the bill, and other suckers to stand in line, why would the politician care ?