CPM: Wrong for MPs to decide pay
The CPI(M) on Tuesday said it was not correct for members of Parliament to decide on their own salaries and demanded creation of a separate mechanism for the purpose. The CPI(M) said that it was against the “normal political morality” for MPs to themselves decide on their pay structure.
“We have been consistently opposed to the concept of MPs themselves deciding on their own pay structure. That is why we have withdrawn from the parliamentary committee which decides on this matter,” party leader Sitaram Yechury said.
Justifying the Pay Commission suggestion, Mr Yechury said the parliamentarians were “the foremost servants of the people” and their pays should be decided in accordance with that of the government servants. “Why can’t the MPs’ salaries be linked with some such systemic mechanism,” he asked.
Mr Yechury’s comments came on a day when several parties protested the Union Cabinet’s decision to defer a proposal for a hefty hike in the pay and allowances of MPs.
He maintained that the CPI(M) has all along been demanding creation of a separate mechanism like the Pay Commission to decide on MPs’ pay and allowances.
, he said: “The MPs have to be delinked from deciding their own salaries. They should not be party to any such decision. After all, there is something called normal political morality.”
In 2006, the then minister of state for parliamentary affairs had said the government was “willing to accept this proposal and had promised to come back to the House on the issue. But they are yet to do so and are continuing with the same old norm,” Mr Yechury said.
Post new comment