There is no hidden fact that our Parliamentarians enjoy hefty pay packets and an unparalleled  perks. This is perhaps the only breed that commands salary without being employed. Ask any Parliamentarian – Member of Parliament (either House), Member of Legislative Assembles or Councils – about his or her occupation and the answer would be: “I am a social worker”. Who as a social worker enjoys so much of a salary and perks! Let them say they are employees and take home the salary. But then they should also understand their responsibilities as an employee and serve accordingly.

The foremost responsibility of a Parliamentarian is to enact laws. Don’t we all know that most of our Parliamentarians are on the other side of the law and have little regards for it. And yet they are perhaps the only breed who decide their own salaries. Not even the President of India have the privilege to decide his or her own salary! These Parliamentarians might have differences what so ever, but time and again we have observed that when its comes to deciding their own salaries they all unite together. Never have we heard of any Parliamentarian going on strike for salary hike, whereas the other government servants are forced to take protesting measures even for their most legitimate demands.

To top it all, the Parliamentarians are the only species that command salary even without maintaining its attendance. If my maid were to go on an indefinite leave, she would be most obliged to settle for a salary cut. But the Members of Parliament or Legislative Assemblies can have the whole salary without attending the house even for a day. Our wards are forbidden from sitting in the examinations if they fail to maintain a level of attendance, but these Parliamentarians are eligible to contest again and again even when they have not attended a single day of the session/s. The poor attendance in the Parliament and Legislative Assemblies or Councils is not a hidden fact.

Secondly, since they control the laws of the land, they have formed rules to their advantage going beyond all norms of legitimacy. We all know that the Members of Parliament are entitled unlimited free travel in trains, but do we know that they are also entitled for Travelling Allowance and that too at double the rate! This means that they can claim and do claim TA at double the rate of the First Class Rail Ticket without having to buy the ticket. In which other trade do we have people entitled to claim TA without producing travelling tickets?

These are merely a few instances to demonstrate the level of illegitimacy these Parliamentarians have taken to. Isn’t it is high time that they be held responsible and asked to curb the exorbitant benefits that they have so cleverly laid out for themselves.