City residents criticise govt’s proposal to hike salary of MLAs

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, December 15

Residents have flayed the state government’s proposal to hike the salary of MLAs. The proposal has been put up before a committee. Thereafter, it faced criticism from all quarters.

Gian Chand Bansal, a city resident, said, “The state government’s proposal to hike the salaries of the MLAs is a cruel joke on the common man as the government claims that its coffers are empty and any concession or relief cannot be given to the people.”

Another resident Dr Vitul K Gupta said, “It is a useless move of the Congress. These days farmers are committing suicide due to debt, teachers are on roads to protest for their rights and youth is unemployed. How can the state government think of such a move?”

He said many welfare schemes were dying due to lack of funds, but to please some of its MLAs, the government was increasing their salaries.

Condemning the proposal, Shikhar Goyal, a city resident, said, “The state government should reduce its expenditure if it wants to take Punjab ahead. First, the Congress government should fulfil the promises it had made to the people before the elections. Thereafter, new welfare schemes should be introduced. Hard-earned money of people should not be wasted. MLAs are already getting hefty salaries and other perks.”

A social activist, Rakesh Narula, said, “It has once again proved that after coming to power, politicians only think of filling their coffers. During the elections, Congress leaders used to make tall claims that they would reduce power tariff and provide more benefits to people. But after coming to power, they have imposed more taxes, brought proposals for purchasing luxury cars and increasing salaries of MLAs.”