Want Safety, Not Free Rides: Delhi Women on Free Public Transport

Here’s what Twitter has to say about Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal making Delhi Metro and DTC bus rides free for women.

Delhi Metro

(File Photo: IANS)

1. Good idea.
2. Thanks but no thanks
Well, that’s the TL;DR version of the chatter around Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s scheme to make rides on the Delhi Metro and DTC buses free for women.

Initial reactions on Twitter show that the aam janta remains divided over whether such a move will actually allow more women to have safe experiences while travelling in public transport, especially those who could not previously afford it, or whether it will prove to be an unnecessary blow to the exchequer.

Hailing the Move

From prominent lawyer Karuna Nandy hailing the move, to funny guy Akshar Pathak taking to task those who can’t see beyond their privilege, this bunch pretty much welcomed the move to provide free transport to women.

Paisa Kahaan Se Aayega?

While the Delhi chief minister has clarified in a press conference that the expenses will be borne by the AAP government in Delhi; online, Arvind Kejriwal’s move is a bone of contention for many.

Meanwhile, this tweet scores an A in alarmist tones...

This one by an AAP spokesperson justifies the move, saying that the increasing prices of the Delhi Metro were causing a reduction in the number of passengers, especially women.

However, it must be noted that full clarity on the same has not yet been given. So hold your horses, fellas!

No Thanks, We Need Safety Instead

Although Mr Kejriwal has said that the scheme of free rides for women on the Delhi Metro and DTC buses has been made so that women can use public transport to travel safely in the national capital, some are asking if free transport will guarantee 100 percent safety. And TBH, it seems like a perfectly legitimate question to ask.

No Thanks, We Can Afford Our Own Tickets

It should be noted that in the same press conference where the Delhi chief minister announced the free transport scheme for women, he also said that those women who can afford to pay for their tickets need not avail of the subsidy.
In fact, he encouraged women to buy metro and bus tickets if they can, so that women in need can benefit from the scheme.
But some have reservations about this.

The Funny Stuff

From mid-year increments to men finding ingenious ways to benefit from this scheme, Twitter has, of course, turned the news of free public transport for women in Delhi into jokes and memes.

Finally, the Men Hoon Na Spokespersons

Just like you would have guessed guys, the Men Hoon Na Tribe has severe objections to this news and has reportedly been saying more or less the same thing, actually making a false equivalence, by saying this:

To them, we would like to say: You too will get as many free rides as you want, from any government you want, the moment you shed your male privilege!