Delhi Congress slams AAP government for passing bills to hike salaries of Assembly members

NEW DELHI: The Congress' Delhi unit on Tuesday lashed out at the ruling AAP for passing bills to give a 66 per cent hike in salaries and allowances to Assembly members, saying the session did not broach providing unemployment allowance to the youth.

Five bills were tabled for a hike in salaries of ministers, MLAs, Chief Whip, Speaker and Deputy Speaker, and Leader of Opposition in the Assembly. Those were passed on Monday and will be sent for President's approval.

Congress leader and former MLA Anil Bhardwaj claimed the AAP government convened the "special two-day session" of the Assembly to pass bills to hike the salaries, but it did not broach the subject of providing unemployment allowance to the youth.

"Lakhs of youth have been rendered jobless due to the Covid lockdowns which ruined businesses and the economy," Bhardwaj alleged, adding, "The Delhi Government did not extend any help to tide over the crisis." He alleged the Delhi Government does not call special sessions of the Assembly to discuss common people's issues such as unemployment, water shortage, pollution, price rise and public transport woes.

"It should implement the employment guarantee scheme and provide unemployment allowance to the youth to provide them some relief," the Congress leader said.

He further alleged that Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has failed to fulfil his promise of giving "8 lakh jobs".

"Delhi Government presented a Rozgar Budget to sell false dreams of job to the youth and claimed that over 1 lakh jobs had been provided.

"Kejriwal had promised 10 lakh jobs in his public speeches, but just over 12,588 people got some sort of jobs in the private sector till May 1, 2022," Bhardwaj alleged.