Communist parties raise levy from their MPs

New Delhi, Feb 16 (UNI) The CPI(M) Polit Bureau has decided to increase the monthly party levy on its MPs from Rs 19000 to Rs 35000 from February. The levy leaves party MPs with a mere Rs 7000 a month- enough to lead a proletarian lifestyle.

The party apex body cited the recent salary hike that MPs got- they now get Rs 42,000.

But the junior partner- CPI MPs will contribute Rs 25000.

The Communist MPs contribute huge chunk of their salary to the party kitty to live modestly knowing well that the party whole timers too have to be paid for their sustenance.

Talking to UNI, top CPI and CPI(M) leaders claimed that their party wholetimers are professional revolutionaries and that they have to cared for.

The CPI(M) has 43 MPs in the Lok Sabha and 14 in the Rajya Sabha. It will now extract a hefty levy of Rs. 19,95,000 a month from its 57 MPs. The CPI is more considerate.

CPI leaders A B Bardhan and Shamim Faizi said every member of the Communist parties contribute one percent of their income as levy, but those elected to various bodies----right from the local bodies to Parliament, are levied heavily to contribute to the party kitty.

Mr Bardhan, the veteran Communist and freedom fighter, said," This is necessary as the whole time workers have to be paid living wages.

For that purpose it is necessary that those who get high emoluments from the state exchequer should contribute more." Besides there had to be parity in the living standards of the full timers and those elected on party ticket for various bodies, Mr Bardhan said adding that their party wholetimers are professional revolutionaries and they had to be cared for.

Mr Faizi, party national Secretary, said it is necessary there is not much disparity between the professional revolutionaries and those geting emoluments from the state exchequer.

CPI(M) Deputy leader in the Lok Sabha Mohammad Salim, while denying that any of the party MPs complained to party General Secretary Prakash Karat about the new levy, said there should not be" huge gap" in the lifestyles of the whole timers, elected represenatives and the electorate.

"Our supporters, our activists and our leaders-- they all live modestly. So only by virtue of their being an MP, he or she should not be away from the commoner's life and lifestyle," Mr Salim said.

Mr Salim said when the MPs contest elections on the party ticket, the entire expenses are borne by the party and the supporters." So there is no justification in retaining the entire sum by the MPs." "Besides in the Communist parties, the party takes care of the MP constituency and the office expenses," the CPI(M) leader added.

UNI