Claims about an increase in MPs monthly salary found to be false
Recently, activist and politician Yogendra Yadav stirred controversy when he took to twitter to criticize the recent Amendment to the Parliament Constituency Allowance, which was ordered on 7th April, 2020. In the tweet, dated 4th May, he has posted a copy of the order along with a caption that signals at the incompetency of the government during the current crisis.
He has claimed in the post that rather than providing free transportation to the migrant workers seeking to return home during the lock down in the special trains arranged for them by the government, the Center has instead ‘quietly’ increased the constituency allowance for Members of Parliament to Rs. 49, 000. The since deleted tweet has garnered hundreds of likes and retweets.
He was called out on twitter by several people for this tweet, including Journalist and Activist Kanchan Gupta, who accused Yogendra Yadav of lying and peddling fake news, while clarifying the truth behind the order.
Intellectuals like @_YogendraYadav lie through their teeth with a straight face. On 7 April 2020 Lok Sabha Secretariat issued a notification slashing Constituency Allowance of MPs by 30%, reducing it from Rs 70,000 to Rs 49,000.
YogendraYadav peddles it as 'increase'. #FakeNews pic.twitter.com/s7I0DkrvFS— Kanchan Gupta (@KanchanGupta) May 5, 2020
TRUTH
The Lok Sabha Secretariat has ordered a 30% cut in the allowance of MPs, which was earlier Rs. 70, 000. After a decrease of 30% from 70, 000, which is 21, 000, the final figure comes out to be Rs. 49, 000. A calculation has been provided for better understanding :-
A copy of the official order has been attached, which can also be found here.
According to reports, the Joint Committee of Parliament in consultation with the government had recommended a 30-per cent cut in Constituency Allowance of Rs 70,000 per month of each MP, which comes to Rs 21,000 per month. This is in addition to the 30 per cent cut in the monthly salary of MPs from Rs. 1 Lakh to Rs. 70, 000, which was ordered earlier.
“Notwithstanding anything contained in the rule 2, a member shall be entitled to receive the constituency allowance under section 8 of the salary, Allowances and pension of members of Parliament Act, 1954 (30 of 1954), at the rate of rupees forty nine thousand per month for the period from April 1, 2020 to March 31, 2021,” the Government said in the Order that has been posted by Yadav in his tweet.
The new orders have decreased the monthly constituency and office allowance of MPs from Rs. 70, 000 to Rs. 49, 000 per month and not increased it, as claimed by Yogendra Yadav in his tweet. According to the official order, the cut has come into effect from 1st April, 2020 and is applicable till 31st March, 2021.
Upon being informed of the false nature of his tweet, Yogendra Yadav has since deleted it and has also apologized for the same, while showing his support for the move.
I had tweeted that the constituency allowance of MPs has been increased to Rs. 49,000. Actually, it has been decreased from 70,000 to 49,000. I support this decision. Thanks for correcting me.
My apologies for the error. Am deleting that tweet now. https://t.co/LpCabzh6Xx— Yogendra Yadav (@_YogendraYadav) May 6, 2020
Journalism Student.
When not busting fake news, can be found hiking, exploring and trying to feel alive.
