Shiv Sena (UBT) compares Donald Trump’s USD 5,000 payout plan with India’s election-time welfare schemes

The Shiv Sena UBT has criticised what it described as the growing use of electiontime financial incentives by political parties drawing a comparison between US President Donald Trumps proposed Trump Dividend and welfare schemes announced by political parties in IndiaIn an editorial published in the party mouthpiece Saamana on Saturday the Uddhav Thackerayled party alleged that the growing reliance on publicly funded handouts for electoral purposes was weakening democratic institutions and undermining public accountabilityThe editorial compared Trumps reported proposal to provide USD 5000 to eligible adult Americans if Republicans gain control of both houses of Congress with welfare schemes introduced by governments and political parties in IndiaShiv Sena UBT compares US proposal with Indian welfare schemesThe editorial referred to schemes such as Ladki Bahin in India and similar welfare programmes announced by state governments arguing that direct financial assistance can become an electoral instrument when announced close to electionsWhat Modi and Shah are doing in India Trump is replicating in the United States using public money distributing handouts and winning elections the editorial claimed adding that although the beneficiaries may differ the underlying political approach remains the sameThe party argued that the proposed US payment represented a broader trend in which governments use direct financial benefits to attract or retain voter supportAccording to the editorial the proposal would carry a significant fiscal cost for the US government It claimed that distributing USD 5000 to every eligible adult could create a financial burden of more than USD 1 trillion on the US TreasuryEditorial questions financial viability of Trump proposalThe Shiv Sena UBT also raised questions over the proposals financial implications citing the size of US government debt and the countrys fiscal deficitThe editorial claimed that the proposal had also generated concern within Trumps Republican Party over how it would be funded and implementedFurthermore distributing this handout will require congressional approval The moment Trump announced the USD 5000 payout leaders and ministers within his own party were left bewildered Vice President JD Vance expressed clear dismay attempting to control the narrative by stating that the money would only be distributed following strict scrutiny and legal procedures ensuring wealthy adults would not benefit This reflects the same strategy used by the Indian governments grand announcements first then delay execution using conditional clauses and bureaucratic fine print claimed the editorialThe party said the proposal demonstrated the challenges governments could face when electoral promises involving largescale public expenditure are made without clarity on their implementation and fundingParty revives criticism of Rs 15 lakh promiseDrawing a parallel with Indian politics the editorial also referred to Prime Minister Narendra Modis 2014 electoral campaign and its claim regarding the recovery of black money and the possibility of depositing Rs 15 lakh in the bank account of every IndianThe Shiv Sena UBT alleged that the promise remained unfulfilled and used it as an example of what it described as political promises that are difficult to implementThe editorial also criticised welfare programmes announced by state governments arguing that such schemes were increasingly being presented as electoral measures rather than as part of longterm social and economic policyUnemployment inflation among issues raisedThe party argued that the focus on direct financial benefits could divert attention from broader economic challengesIn India the editorial cited unemployment inflation and difficulties faced by farmers as issues that it said continued to require attention It similarly argued that the US administration had been unable to resolve several domestic challenges despite Trumps focus on his political agendaThe Shiv Sena UBT said political parties should instead focus on structural solutions to economic and social problems rather than relying on cash transfers and other benefits to influence votersFreebie politics described as global trendThe editorial characterised the use of governmentfunded benefits as a growing international phenomenon arguing that political parties across countries were increasingly using such measures to appeal directly to votersIt claimed that this approach could weaken public accountability by shifting political debate away from governance economic performance and longterm policyThe party maintained that welfare measures have a legitimate role in supporting vulnerable sections of society but argued that their timing and presentation become problematic when they are primarily used as electoral instrumentsThe editorial concluded that freebie politics whether in India or the US risked compromising democratic principles and diminishing accountability