India, as a mixed economy, provides a great degree of private-public partnerships. It also focuses on protecting and promoting the economic and social well-being of its citizens’. That is why its leaders have always been involved in the policies of ‘Welfarism’. Where it tries to ensure that all citizens have access to minimal provisions needed for a good life.
Unexpected circumstances, on the other hand, can occasionally damage the livelihood of families who could previously function on their own. That is why, allocating Muaawza, or Compensation, to the needy has always been a tool for welfarism. But what if this tool of welfarism is used to further the political agendas of crooked politicians?
Why does Muaawza politics exist at all?
Death is the ultimate truth and we live with it. But, untimely death of a member can jeopardise the livelihood of a family. The situation becomes scarier for those who live on daily wages or have very little in the name of savings. That’s when social welfare schemes kick in.
Several governments have been allocating compensation money, jobs and other special benefits to the aggrieved families to give solace and to safeguard their basic living standard. It is important to note that it is not necessarily linked to death alone. It has also been done for certain unfortunate and unforeseen cases, which can impact the life and livelihood of the victims’ family.
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Evidently, in February 2022, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) notified a new scheme for compensation for the victims of Hit & Run accidents. It enhanced compensation from Rs 12,500 to Rs 50,000 for grievous hurt. While in the cases of fatal injuries or death, it increased the compensation from Rs 25,000 to Rs 2,00,000. Additionally, it reduced bottlenecks and streamlined the compensation procedure for such victims.
Similarly, time and again, Central as well as various state governments have announced monetary and job benefits to provide social safety net to the families of the deceased. Evidently, the Yogi government announced an annual assistance of Rs 6,000 to the victims of triple talaq, to ensure their rehabilitation. The government has also assured that they will be provided free legal aid.
If these compensatory benefits are not provided to the victims’ family, the unfortunate episode can leave them on the road of despair and penury.
Why then it got vilified?
Welfare schemes have negative connotations as well. For example, if politicians start using ‘welfarism’ for their petty political benefits, it starts defeating the basic purpose of these welfare policies. It, then, becomes a travesty of Justice with the taxpayers money.
It has been observed in numerous occasions, particularly in communal clashes, riots, or politically motivated cases, where political parties accept or disregard compensations as a result of their prejudice in victim-oppressor pairs.
Politicians who are neck deep in appeasement politics promote their vote bank politics by doling out MUAAWZAs as though they have no accountability for how taxpayers’ money is spent.
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Unfortunately, it is not a theoretical cynicism of Muaawza or Compensation announcements aimed at Welfarism. The glaring case of this pathetic misuse of Muaawza politics was witnessed in the gory episode of Muzaffarnagar riots. The UP government shamelessly pushed its political agenda in allocating Muaawza for the riot victims.
It was such a glaring case that the Supreme Court had to lambast the Akhilesh Yadav government for it. In 2013, the apex court took a stern view of the Uttar Pradesh notification, which provided a compensation of Rs. 5 lakh only to Muslims affected in the recent Muzaffarnagar riots for relocation.
The Honourable court directed the State government to recall the Akhilesh government’s order and issue a fresh one to include all people who were impacted because of the violence.
In one despicable case, a Congress leader promised compensation of Rs 1 crore to the family members of gunned down terrorists. He also promised to provide government jobs to their family members. Further, he promised to release terror suspects languishing in jails.
What is Hush money?
Hush money is an arrangement in which the accused party offers the victim (or family) an attractive sum of money or other enticement, in exchange for remaining silent about some illegal, stigmatised, or shameful behaviour, action, or other facts about the guilty party.
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Evidently, in an investigation, Mohammed Mansoor Khan, the prime accused in a Ponzi scheme alleged that he had paid Rs 1,750 crore bribe to politicians and bureaucrats from central and state governments to hush up the matter and get acquittal in the case.
Just like secularism, the meaning and purpose of Welfarism has been corrupted for political gains. The exchequer money is used to further political parties agendas rather than actually doing welfare for the society. That is why, the word Muaawza which should have reverence among the society is viewed in negative light.
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