English 
हिन्दी 
Amid growing debates over the freebies offered by the Siddaramaiah-led Karnataka government, a Bengaluru resident on Wednesday questioned the fairness and sustainability of the state’s free bus service for women, igniting a viral debate online.
Kiran Kumar shared his experience of taking an early morning KSRTC bus from Bengaluru to Mysuru, a ‘comfortable’ journey on a ‘world-class’ highway that cost him ₹210. However, during the trip, he couldn’t help but observe the disparity in the fare distribution.
Check out his post here:
“Nearly 30 of the 50 passengers were women,” Kumar wrote, adding that they were able to travel free simply by showing their Aadhar card. This, he argued, raised fundamental questions about fairness and equality. “Is this fair? Is it equality?” he asked.
He pointed out that the 20 male passengers, who were paying for the ride, were essentially shouldering the cost of the entire bus. He questioned the fairness of the policy.
One particular moment on the bus stood out to him. Kumar noticed an elderly man struggling to find notes to pay the fare, while a young woman, seemingly well-off and on a video call, was traveling for free. “Is that fair?” Kumar questioned, wondering about the implications of such a policy.
The post continued with Kumar asking why, if the state had a surplus income, the free bus service couldn’t be expanded to include all passengers. “Why not make it free for these 20 men as well?” he proposed, suggesting a universal free bus service similar to an airport shuttle.
Highlighting what he saw as an inconsistency in the welfare system, Kumar remarked that subsidies are typically aimed at those who cannot afford services. In contrast, he observed that the women traveling for free were from two relatively affluent cities, Bengaluru and Mysuru.
Concluding his post, he reflected on the broader political landscape, recognizing the cyclical nature of such freebies, which he described as being driven by the desire to secure votes. “Tough to get out of it in the near future,” he added.
Kumar’s post has gone viral, with many agreeing with his sentiments, while others defend the policy as an essential step towards gender equality.
How did X users react?
X users largely agreed with the sentiment expressed in the post, emphasizing that freebies should be need-based rather than universally applied. One user wrote, “Free bus travel should be for the poor, irrespective of men or women, and not for all. That makes sense.” Another suggested, “At best, they could make it a 25% or 50% concession for intercity travel if they want to make it attractive during elections.”
Others pointed out the challenges of implementing such policies. “We have so much diversity that any rule cannot be fair to all at any point in time,” one user noted. “Nothing stops women who are capable to pay, but to set up a complex system to decide who should pay and who shouldn’t will not work. There is still so much disparity in the workforce.”
(Also Read: Karnataka man ‘declared dead’ walks into IAS officer’s office to prove he’s alive: Report)
Shakti scheme is a flagship program offering free bus rides to women. Shakti is one of the five guarantee schemes rolled out by the Congress government after coming to power in 2023.
