The Supreme Court on Wednesday deprecated the practice of political parties promising "freebies" just ahead of elections and asked "are we not creating a class of parasites" instead of bringing people into the mainstream and contribute towards national development.

A bench of Justices B R Gavai and Augustine George Masih also observed that people were not willing to work as they were getting free ration and money.

"Rather than integrating them into the mainstream of society by enabling their contribution to national development, are we not creating a class of parasites?" Justice Gavai questioned.

He further added, "Unfortunately, due to these freebies, which are announced just before elections, like 'Ladki Bahin' and other schemes, people are reluctant to work."

Case regarding right to shelter for homeless people

While hearing a case regarding the right to shelter for homeless individuals in urban areas, the bench observed that people were receiving free rations and money without having to work.

"We truly appreciate your concern for them, but wouldn't it be better to make them a part of mainstream society and allow them to contribute to the nation's development?" the bench stated.

Advocate Prashant Bhushan, representing one of the petitioners, argued that there was hardly anyone in the country who did not want to work, provided they had the opportunity.

In response, Justice Gavai said, "You must only have one-sided knowledge. I come from an agricultural family. Due to the freebies in Maharashtra that were announced just before elections, farmers are struggling to find labourers."

However, the court clarified that it did not want to engage in a debate on this issue.

A balance?

The bench acknowledged that everyone, including Attorney General R Venkataramani, agreed that providing shelter for the homeless deserved serious attention.

"But at the same time, shouldn't it be balanced?" the bench inquired.

Venkataramani informed the court that the Centre was finalising the urban poverty alleviation mission, which would address several issues, including providing shelter for the urban homeless.

The bench asked him to confirm the time frame for the scheme's implementation and to provide details on what it would cover.

"In the meantime, we also request the Attorney General to take instructions on whether, until the scheme is implemented, the Union of India would continue with the National Urban Livelihoods Mission," the bench added.

The court further asked the Centre to gather information from all states to address the issue on a pan-India scale.

During the hearing, one of the petitioners expressed concern that the homeless were being neglected, as the issue was not a priority.

The bench grew irritated when the petitioner claimed that the authorities only showed compassion for the rich, not the poor.

"Don't make a speech like it's Ramlila Maidan in this court," Justice Gavai retorted. "And don’t make unnecessary allegations. We will not allow our courtrooms to be turned into a political battlefield."

"How can you claim that compassion is shown only for the rich? Even the government, how can you say this?" Justice Gavai added.

The court said it was in poor taste to suggest that the government had done nothing or showed no concern for the poor.

Bhushan mentioned that, according to a note presented before the bench, as of December 4, 2024, a total of 2,557 shelters had been sanctioned by states or union territories, with 1,995 shelter homes operational, providing a capacity of 116,000 beds.

He noted that a survey revealed approximately three lakh urban homeless individuals in Delhi alone.

Bhushan explained that, according to the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB), the total capacity of the shelters was 17,000 persons, but only 5,900 of these facilities had beds.

A DUSIB counsel stated that the board currently operated 197 shelter homes in Delhi, with a total capacity of 17,000 individuals. Over the past four years, the average maximum occupancy had been 5,500 across all shelter homes.

One of the petitioners presented a chart detailing the state-wise status of homeless individuals, available shelters, and their respective capacities, based on data from the Centre.

The bench asked Venkataramani to confirm whether the figures presented in the chart were accurate.

The matter has been scheduled for further hearing in six weeks.

During a previous hearing in December last year, the Supreme Court had instructed states and union territories to provide details about the facilities available for accommodating homeless persons.

(PTI)