Admirers and adorers of our Members of Parliament may frown, when I say "So little, when compared to so much remuneration and so many perquisites". But yet, facts and truths can be stranger than fiction. In the early days of Independent India between 1947 and 1960, Parliament Members might have received petty amounts as their remuneration and perquisites. But in 2016, things are different. Formal ostensible Salaries & Allowances payable to Indian MPs are determined by THE SALARY, ALLOWANCES AND PENSION OF MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT ACT, 1954 AND RULES MADE THEREUNDER. A link to see these details:
Click to go to and download details of Salary & Allowances of MPs. These salaries and allowances, prima facie, may appear to be a pittance when compared to salaries and allowances drawn by Top and Upper-Middle Private Sector CEOs, CFOs, COOs, and other executives. Three things, we have to keep in mind: 1. Though salaries may appear low, perquisites and facilities provided to MPs are Princely and Regal. 2. Most of them are tax-free. 3. The work done by the MPs to benefit the Nation, or their State, or their Constituencies, or at least to the persons of their caste/religion / their occupational class, pales into insignificance when compared to the amounts spent by Government on their maintenance.
A few questions asked in Parliament, and posting them on Face Book alone cannot justify their performances. An enlightened Clerk or an Accountant can do all these things.
A Parliament Member may have a thousand attenders, clerks, assistants, coteries, employees, hangers-around, servants, workers, to look after his work. Yet, MPs or other human hoi polloi have only two hands, two hands, two legs, one spine, one brain, one mind, one intellect, one parietal cortex in the single brain. That means, whether MPs or other ordinary homosapiens can control/discharge/handle only a few functions at a time. Unlike in eating, there cannot be voracious grabs in performing duties/functions. Right from Prime Minister, Finance Minister, to the Local Municipal Chair persons, strangely want to manage Sports bodies/Organisations in India. Last time, we dealt with this subject, in our blog-post No. 465,
Click to go to 465..
Link to the facebook page of Mr. Galla Jayadev, MP from Guntur:
Click here to go to the FaceBook page of Shri Galla Jayadev.. As on date, it has about 180,000 likes.
Suggestion: It will be better to have separate web sites / facebook pages, for a role as PEOPLE'S REPRESENTATIVE, and for Amar Raja Batteries etc. Businesses + promoting son as film star etc. This may be necessary because maintenance of FaceBook pages also requires employment of resources. Using allowances/perquisites received as MP may have to be separately accounted for, from the personal, family, Corporate P.R. (Public Relations). Of course, there may be some MPs who may be spending their monies on public causes, while a large number of MPs use public resources for private purposes. Every person cannot become a MokshagunDam Visvesvaraiah, the Great Engineer from Karnataka, who used to maintain separate inks and pens, for official purposes, and private purposes.
Both in world politics and Indian politics, like/as in Java language, we have "inheritance". In the FaceBook page of Shri Jayadev, Readers can also find photos of his son Shri Galla Ashok Babu, who is being promoted as a film star (one rung in the ladder, with ultimate last rung to political chairs), by his father Shri Jayadev and uncle Shri Mahesh Babu, a Film Star in good demand in Tollywood (Telugu filmland). Well, as long as we like to live in Capitalism, these things do happen, and we can really find fault with. There are only two choices, probably. Either accept Capitalism in toto with all its merits and warts, or opt for Complete True Socialism, which has not so far been correctly or fully tested.
Even in dictatorial dynastic hypocratic Communist Countries like Cuba and North Korea these things happen. In 2016 USA, Ms. Hillary Clinton tried to use this type of launch pads, but SHE COULD NOT SUCCEED, not because American People are 'merit and sincerity loving, or otherwise', but because they found that 'employment of locals', 'PREVENTING THE INDIANS AND MEXICANS FROM ENTERING USA' as more important than vague promises.
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It is not clear how Mr. Nara ChandraBabu Naidu, Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh settled/solved the complaint received by him from a woman by name Ms. Guntupalli Padmaja, who alleged that Mr. Galla Jayadev tried to acquire her house, a prime property in Guntur, by influencing the Officials of Andhra Bank to sell it in an auction. This news appeared in Deccan Chronicle of approx. 23rd July 2016. We too touched upon this topic in our blog-post No. 792
Click to go to post No. 792.. This news can also be seen at
Click to go to http://www.indiontv.in/news.php?title=woman-complains-to-naidu-against-tdp-mp-galla-jayadev
CHIEF MINISTER HAS TO SPEAK OUT TRANSPARENTLY
Our Chief Minister speaks to Media about so many things, everyday. It is not clear whether Mr. Naidu has already counselled both the parties appropriately, or whether he has spoken to the MP anything relevant to the problem. This is specially important because A.P. Capital Region, Temporary Secretariat Velagapudi also falls in the area of Guntur Parliamentary Constituency. The State Headquarters of Telugu Desam Party is also in Guntur. If Mr. Chandra Babu Naidu has advised both the parties to settle the matter in Civil Courts, the same-thing, he can make clear publicly. The MP, Chief Minister, TDP President, TDP All India General Secretary, Polit Bureau, ought not depend on only FORGETFULNESS of public memory. Just as Caesar's wife must be above suspicion, our Lok Sabha members should also be above suspicion. OUR LOK SABHA MPs REPRESENT 1/542 OF OUR NATION, AND NATIONAL ASPIRATIONS. They cannot be ordinary guys with ordinary wants. After all, Shri Jayadev is one of the richest MPs in Andhra Pradesh, and in India. Then, why should he have such a too small a desire to buy a paltry (by his level and standards) house of about Rs. 80 million, through technically-legal, but not ethically-so-clean methods?
APOLOGIES TO SHRI GALLA JAYADEV. THIS IS NOT INTENDED AGAINST HIM PERSONALLY.
My apologies to Shri Galla Jayadev. He is not the only Member of Parliament, whose contributions tend to be lower than remunerations paid and free/concessional perquisites provided. MPs under performing is a common feature in Indian Democracy. Historically also, since 1927, when Chittaranjan Das- Motilal Nehru led Swarajya Party and others decided to participate in Indian Elections, the under-performance of People's Representatives, is continuing. But at that time, remunerations and perquisites were of low value. There was a view that MPs were serving gratis (free, a sort of charity, philonthropic service). But now, the Remuneration and Perquisites are raising in tune with inflation and demands of MPs.
This under-performance of Members of Parliament has been ubiquitous, irrespective of parties they represent. I can't say about Late S.V.L. Narasimham. But, the underperformance was there, during the days of Late Kotta Raghu Ramaiah (Former Union Minister), Late NG Ranga ( a pioneer of farmers' movement in India, freedom fighter), S.M. Lal John Basha, Shri Y.V. Rao, Shri Rayapati Sambasiva Rao ( a tobacco, cotton industrialist & trader).
REASON FOR PAYMENT OF MODEST HONORARIUM(A) INSTEAD OF HIGH SALARIES ON PAR WITH BUSINESS EXECUTIVES
Unlike other public servants in India such as IAS, IPS, IRS, IFS, Forest Service Officers, other Gazetted and Non-Gazetted Officers in Central and State Governments who are regarded as full-time slaves (in spite of some cadres having specified working hours), and forbidden from pursuing part-time occupations and avocations, businesses, Members of Legislative Assemblies (MLAs) and Members of Parliament have been permitted to continue their occupations and businesses, and maintain themselves without depending on, and expecting Government Salaries. In other words, MLAs, MPs, and Ministers have been regarded as part-timers, serving the Nation, even if not gratis, at least at concessional rates.
Question: Then, how do you justify, huge amounts paid as allowances, towards perquisites, showing them as reimbursments?
The additional amounts paid / given as freebies to MLAs and MPs, are regarded as OUT-OF-POCKET EXPENSES. These expenses, are intended to be duly incurred, in discharge of the sacred duties which MLAs and MPs perform, while serving the Nation. For example, MLAs and MPs are paid allowances for maintaining their offices in Delhi, State Capitals, and in their respective Constituencies. Stenographers, Clerks-Assistants, Managers, Computer-Operators, Telephone Operators, attenders, receptionists, are expected to be appointed and maintained by MLAs, and MPs, so as they to be available to public at all times. Besides, they have to conduct surveys in the Constituencies, collect data, process them, identify problems, take up with appropriate Public Authorities for redressal of grievances. It is not happening, in respect of many MLAs and MPs.
Question: MLAs and MPs belong to LEGISLATIVE WING OF OUR CONSTITUTION. They have to discharge only Legislative Functions. They do not consider themselves as Executives, or Judges. In India, we have a system of Strict Separation of Powers. MLAs and MPs should not intrude into Executive and Judicial Duties.
Ans: True. But people's voters' expectations have changed. Besides, at the time of canvassing in elections, candidates are not clearly telling people/voters about the restrictive role, they have been assigned to play by the Indian Constitution. Besides, if the candidates tell the truth, that they are supposed to perform only the LEGISLATIVE PART, then, voters will dump them into dust bin.
Question: You seem to be exaggerating the issue disproportionately? Why all this fuss?
Ans: In 2014 May, some people might have thought that Congress would never resurrect itself. Mr. Narendra Modi has also emphasized about his accomplishing 'Congress-mukt bharat' (India Liberated from Congress). At that time, it appeared to be progressing. But after the 2016 Demonetization fiasco, Mr. Rahul Gandhi seems to be resurrecting himself, and trying to bring himself up by 2019 as next PM. If that happens, it may be a National Disaster for India. Unfortunately, many Regional leaders like Mulayam Singh Yadav, Mayavati, Mamata Banerjee, Aravind Kejriwal (et al) , though they may have Prime Ministerial ambitions, cannot fill the gap. We (not yb-donkey. It is Indian voters for Lok Sabha) have to search for new set of National Leaders by 2019. Both Indian voters and the Indian Lok Sabha candidates need intellectual upgradation. Voters have to raise themselves intellectually, if they are to select right type of candidates for Lok Sabha. For that, voters have to examine numerous questions.
Example: Whether we need our MPs as full-timers or part-timers? A full-time MP should not, as long as he-she is MP , engage himself in businesses directly or indirectly. Suppose, if we choose a full-timer, what should be his credentials?
In case of full-time MPs, as their wages-perquisites are paid on full-time basis, voters get a right to monitor the performance of MPs- about how they are spending their time. Are the MPs spending their time working as brokers for industrialists, to get their (industrialists, business-persons, Corporates) work done in New Delhi? If MPs purchase lands, properties, are they trying to get projects from Centre and State which will benefit them financially. Are they manipulating insider information about new projects coming in the area, to promote their own personal /corporate business interests? People cannot have MPs as brokers, - or brokers as MPs.
Another crucial question also may arise. While there can be a full time MP/MLA with full-time wages, can there be a full-time worker of a political party? If so who will pay his wage? It cannot be termed honorarium.
To continue. सशेष. సశేషం. ఇంకా ఉంది.
