What Women Want: Actors Expose The Truth Behind Freebies & Women Votes In Karnataka!

At an India Today roundtable, journalists Akshita Nandagopal and Nagarjun Dwarakanath sat down with actors Pranitha Subhash and Samyukta Hornad to debate Karnataka’s flagship Shakti Scheme. While the panel acknowledged the free bus ride initiative has successfully boosted women's mobility, work confidence, and local economies, it has pushed state transport corporations into deep financial strain costing over ₹6,000 crore annually. While Pranitha defended the scheme as crucial for working women battling rising living costs, Samyukta critiqued the shallow nature of political "freebies," urging a shift toward real representation, structural safety, CCTVs, and street lighting.