‘Undue privileges’ being given to political appointees, says party
SHILLONG, April 13: The Voice of the People Party (VPP) on Sunday highlighted how political appointees in Meghalaya, many of them defeated politicians, are entitled to “undue privileges” while MLAs of the Opposition parties are left to fend for themselves.
VPP spokesperson Batskhem Myrboh underscored the pitiful conditions under which MLAs, particularly those in the Opposition, are forced to operate.
“The salary of an MLA in Meghalaya is only Rs 2,02,000 per month. With this amount, he/she has to manage his/her office if he/she appoints any staff, manage his/her driver if he/she appoints a driver, his/her POL for constituency tour and everything else including tea he/she serves the people who visit his/her office,” he said.
In sharp contrast, Myrboh pointed out, the political appointees, who owe their positions not to the people’s mandate but to political patronage, enjoy a suite of lavish perks.
“The political appointee gets other perks and privileges such as car and POL, house rent, medical expenses, newspapers, free phone calls, driver, staff etc.,” he noted.
Myrboh condemned the system that sidelines people’s representatives while rewarding party loyalists.
“Opposition MLAs deserve better treatment. They too serve the people. I wonder how they manage. It is, therefore, understandable that Bah Bright Marbaniang (VPP’s Mawlai MLA) has to ride a two-wheeler or drive a Maruti Alto 800,” Myrboh said.
“I feel they should get an official car, staff to manage office and POL. Even defeated politicians in the ruling party, by dint of being a political appointee, get better facilities than people’s representative. This is deplorable,” Myrboh lamented.
Raising deeper, uncomfortable questions about wealth accumulation, he remarked, “One has to be ready to be poor/poorer to serve the people if one has to maintain as Mr Clean or Ms Clean.”
In a pointed observation about the state of political ethics and financial transparency, he added, “However, I wonder a person accumulates so much of riches by being MLA or Minister. Mind you, even a Minister does not earn much. His/her salary is only Rs 2,10,000 per month, much lower than that of his/her officers.”