One major argument advanced in favour of the country’s political class which has divided society on religious and caste lines to win political advantage, and has wrecked the Indian economy with its inorganic socialism experiments, is that they have the pulse of the people. If so, how will apologists for duly elected people’s representatives, explain the timing of the huge pay rise that Karnataka’s members of the legislative assembly voting themselves?

According to Hunger Watch-2, a study of a representative sample of 6,500 households in 14 states of the Indian Union commissioned by the Delhi-based Centre for Equity Studies, following the third wave of the Omicron variant (December-January), 66 percent of households reported their incomes were below pre-pandemic level. Moreover, 70 percent report food insecurity.

Despite this, the BJP dominated Karnataka legislative assembly has voted all its MLAs (members of legislative assembly) a 50-60 percent pay hike. Under the Karnataka Legislature, Salaries, Pensions & Allowances (Amendment) Bill passed unanimously amid chaos over the issue of an insult to the national flag, the monthly salary of MLAs has been increased from Rs.1.4 lakh to Rs.2 lakh.

Moreover, the monthly salaries of the chief minister, assembly speaker and legislative council chairman have been hiked from Rs.50,000 to Rs.75,000; house rent allowance from Rs.1.2 lakh to Rs.1.6 lakh; fuel allowance to 2,000 litres (from 1,000); travel allowance to Rs.40 per km (Rs.30) and ‘sumptuary allowance’ to Rs.4.5 lakh per year (Rs.3 lakh). Total increment because of “financial trouble due to a steep rise in prices of diesel, petrol…”: Rs.92 crore. All this self-voted munificence at a time when the public is suffering widespread financial distress. A finger on the pulse of the people? Doubtful.

Also read: Priorities of BJP/NDA Government 2.0