Millionaires not content

Apropos the editorial “Look, who wants money!” (July 8), of our nearly 800 MPs, around 300 are millionaires, many are billionaires and the rest lakhpatis. These MPs have been sent to represent and serve the people who have elected them. Do they need any hike in their quite reasonable salary plus perks when nearly 600 million people live below the poverty line and 200 million live a life of starvation? The Parliament suffers a loss of around Rs 15 crore by providing subsidised food at nearly 1/5th of the cost to the MPs.  

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LJS Panesar, Amritsar

No thought for poor 

Indeed, it is a mockery of the common masses. Ex-servicemen are agitating for one rank one pension. The Punjab Government has withheld arrears of the dearness allowance of its employees and pensioners for the year 2014, citing poor financial health. Most of the MPs are multi-millionaires and enjoy hefty pay, perks and subsidised food, besides income tax concessions. Our leaders are highly self-centred and austerity measures for the sake of the common man are beyond their comprehension.

PS Bedi, Jalandhar

Quick hikes

A parliamentary panel has recommended 100% hike for the multimillionaire parliamentarians. Only five years ago, their salary was enhanced by 300% and the whole process took merely six days. This is in contrast to the OROP which was promised by Modi 15 months ago. Instead of contemplating their own welfare, the MPs should rescue the debt-ridden farmers from the clutches of moneylenders. 

Wg Cdr JS Bhalla (Retd), via email

What about jawan, kisan?

This is with reference to news item “Panel pitches for 100% hike in MPs’ salary” (July 3). It is shocking that the salaries and pensions of ministers and MPs can be raised any time because there is no opposition to it from any political party. The public has no recourse to check this gross misuse of money. These monsters behave like sons-in-law of the country and treat the public as 'herds of sheep'. 

These very fellows passed the Land Acquisition Bill-2013 and in the bargain 75% population of the country — the landowners — is being duped as herds of sheep. Similar is the case of defence personnel, who have been promised the OROP for the last 40 years by successive governments, but it is still hanging in uncertainty. 

Chander Raj Thakur, Chambaghat 

Raise unjustified 

The parliamentary panel has recommended doubling the pay of MPs to Rs 57 lakh per year. This is wrong in a country where 80% people are poor. Such a huge increase is not justified. MPs are supposed to serve the people not live a lavish life. 

Santosh C. Verma, USA 

Elephant of subsidy

Many people feel envious of the low rates of food items for MPs in the Sansad canteens. For example, the rate of a non-veg thaali is Rs 33, dosa Rs 6, chapati Rs 1, mutton curry Rs 20, fish Rs 25 and sabzi Rs 4 per plate. In the last five years, a subsidy of Rs 60 crore has been given to these canteens. It is better if the MPs are given food free of cost. When the elephant of subsidy is crossing, the tail of charging lower rates should also be allowed to pass. 

SOHAN LAL GUPTA, Patiala

Charity begins at home

The MPs earn around Rs 1 lakh a month, which is 68 times the country's average salary, but are showered with numerous bounties, perks and subsidies. In the last five years, a subsidy of around Rs 60 crore has been granted to the Parliament canteen and in the last four and a half years, there has been no change in the prices of its food items. Charity begins at home. If the PM wants us to waive our subsidy why don't the MPs set an example. A bureaucrat gets pension after serving for 30-35 years and an MP is entitled to the same even if he has spent just a single day in Parliament.

ANKITA KALIA, Chandigarh

Shamelessly united

On the one hand, the Prime Minister is urging the people to forego their LPG subsidy, but on the other hand, our MPs are relishing quality food in the Parliament canteen at highly subsidised rates. This subsidy ranges from 63% to 150%. And, on the matter of their pay hike, all MPs are shamelessly united. 

IPS Anand, Chandigarh

No pay panel for MPs

There is a proposal to raise by 100% the salaries of the MPs and by 75% the pension of former MPs. It has also been recommended that their daily allowance of Rs 2,000 for attending the House be doubled to Rs 4,000. Pay commissions are constituted to review the pay structure of government employees. Contrary to this, when the salary structure for our MPs is revised, the Bill is submitted, discussed and passed by a raising of their hands. There should be an independent panel to review the salary of MPs.

SK Khosla, Chandigarh

Kandi in poor state

It is good that the salary of the doctors working in kandi and border areas is to be raised. I have worked as a lecturer in this area and lived from 1968 to 1978 in a small village of Gurdaspur. At that time, there were no roads, clean water or sewerage in the area and one would be cut off from the world after 7pm. Friends and relatives there say that things have not improved much except that mobile phones have become common now. Transport facilities are still poor and the roads in bad shape. There is a danger of floods in the rainy season. Some special allowance should be declared for all employees working there. 

Jatinderbir S Nanda, Ludhiana

Don’t crib

With many politicians being in the dock for being corrupt these days, there is no social stigma attached to such scalawags. Just the other day, PM Narendra Modi sent a congratulatory note to Jayalalithaa when she was acquitted by the Karnataka High Court, though she has still to face the consequences in the Supreme Court. In Haryana, the Chautalas are riding a wave of popularity though they are in jail for corruption. Should it mean that no one should get a salary or a raise and we should turn to a system of laissez-faire, scrap salaries, repeal the anti-corruption Act and make whatever we can as per the market fluctuations? The MPs have to be paid and there is no point in cribbing. Money makes the mare run.    

Leela Kak, Chandigarh

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