Srinagar, September 29: Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary on Tuesday accused the BJP of politicising the proposed revision in salaries and allowances of legislators, saying the issue had become a “victim of politics”.
Speaking to reporters in Srinagar, Choudhary said the BJP could have opposed the salary hike when the committee examining the matter was constituted.
He said the committee, headed by Surjeet Singh Slathia, had recommended a salary of ₹3 lakh for MLAs, besides provisions relating to pensions, personal assistants and other benefits.
“If they wanted daily wagers to be regularised, NHM employees to be regularised, or ASHA and Anganwadi workers to be addressed, they could have included these issues in the report itself,” Choudhary said.
Referring to remarks by BJP MLA Shyam Lal Sharma, the Deputy Chief Minister said the committee had recommended a ₹3 lakh salary for legislators.
Choudhary also questioned why the BJP had not raised similar objections during earlier governments when salaries and allowances of MLAs were revised.
“An MLA is not begging. It is his legitimate entitlement,” he said, while stressing that legislators also incur significant expenses in carrying out their responsibilities.
He further alleged that the BJP’s opposition to the proposal was aimed at creating a political spectacle in the Assembly.
“This spectacle by the BJP will be exposed in 2029. They can do as many spectacles as they want in the Assembly, but people know that they do not want to work for the people; they only want to create a spectacle,” Choudhary said.
