New Delhi: With the issue of salary hike of
MPs inviting criticism and creating controversies, the Janata
Dal-United today took a line similar to that of the Left
parties seeking an independent mechanism on it.
JD-U chief Sharad Yadav said that the government should
constitute an independent mechanism on the lines of the Pay
Commission for government servants, to periodically review the
salary of MPs and recommend hikes.
Yadav raised the demand in his meeting with Finance
Minister Pranab Mukherjee this morning, sources said.
The Left parties have taken a consistent position that
it would not be appropriate for the lawmakers to decide upon
their pay and allowances and the job should be entrusted to an
independent body.
Yadav also told Mukherjee that it is not proper for MPs
to get involved in making recommendations for their salary
hike and the route of going through Joint Parliamentary
Committee for the issue is not good.
He said that there should be a separate mechanism keeping
MPs out of it which should take such decisions.
Sharad was not present in Lok Sabha yesterday when RJD
chief Lalu Prasad and SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav held mock
Parliament proceedings after the House was adjourned following
an uproar demanding further pay hike for MPs.
PTI
