BLOCK CHAIN

FROM UNHAPPY LEGISLATORS TO DISGRUNTLED DALITS, MUSLIMS AND YOUTH, CHIEF MINISTER YOGI ADITYANATH’S RETURN TO POWER IS RIDDLED WITH CHALLENGES

- PUJA AWASTHI

On September 18, 2018, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath was handed over a rather unusual letter that called for immediate action. Unusual, as it was signed by close to 400 members across parties from the two houses of the state’s legislature. Given its electoral strength, most signatories were from the BJP. The first two signatures on the letter were of assembly speaker Hriday Narayan Dikshit (denied a ticket this time) and Legislative Council chairman Ramesh Yadav.

The letter asked for a periodical increase and revision in pay and pension of serving and former legislators, and for making these tax-free. It said that legislators in the state were unable to perform the roles for which they had been elected. One reason was the vidhyak nidhi (MLA fund) of ₹4 crore was much lower than what legislators in other states were entitled to.

It was not an issue new to Adityanath. After all, he had served as chairperson of the Joint Committee on Salaries and Allowances of Members of Parliament from September 2014-2017.

“And yet he did nothing,” said Madhukar Jetley, Samajwadi Party MLC. “Many times, I approached him and he said that he would give me time soon to discuss the manner in which it was to be taken up, but that soon never came. He humiliated his legislators.”

On February 28, 2020, Adityanath announced on the floor of the house the formation of a committee to look into the matter. However, Covid-19 struck soon after and nothing came of that.