Taking a dig at Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Punjab Congress President Amarinder Singh today termed it as "loot by legislation" and said he has turned the "self-proclaimed common man's government into a plutocracy".
He also said Kejriwal's greed for money can only be rivalled by his Punjab counterpart, Parkash Singh Badal.
"Kejriwal and his party's greed for money stands exposed with such a shameless hike in the MLAs' salaries, which is absolutely unfair, unjustified and outright loot of the public exchequer," he said.
"Today if anybody can rival the greed of Parkash Singh Badal for money, Kejriwal best fits the frame," he said, adding, "The only difference is that Badal does it illegally and Kejriwal has tried to legalise it."
"400 per cent hike in the salaries of the MLAs is shameless and unprecedented in the history of the country and maybe even the world, and it only betrays the plutocratic mindset of Kejriwal," Amarinder said in a statement here.
The Punjab Congress president pointed out, Kejriwal had raised the MLAs' salary by over 400 per cent which has never been heard in the history, not even in rich and affluent countries.
"No matter how hoarse he may cry himself about integrity and probity in public life, he (Kejriwal) has actually legalised the loot of public exchequer", he remarked, while adding, on one hand Kejriwal claims to curb corruption and on the other hand "he has legalised the loot by legislators through legislation".
Giving details, Amarinder said, now an MLA in Delhi will get Rs 2.10 lakh salary a month, besides other perks like free housing and travel facility outside the constituency, while a minster will get about Rs 3 lakhs a month and Kejriwal himself will get about Rs 3.5 lakh a month.
"When common man, Kejriwal claims to represent, cannot make both ends meet, Delhi legislators will be living and indulging in the luxury at their (common man's) cost," he observed.
