BJD Leader Baijayant 'Jay' Panda Says He Will Return Salary For Time Lost In Parliament Disruptions

New Delhi: Odisha lawmaker Baijayant 'Jay' Panda has said that he will return a part of his salary proportional to the time lost in the winter session of parliament due to disruptions. The just-concluded session was a virtual washout as opposition parties prevented the house from functioning over the government's move to scrap 500 and 1,000-rupee notes.

Mr Panda, who belongs to the Biju Janata Dal or BJD, said he will be returning part of his salary and daily allowance proportional to the time lost in the Lok Sabha due to disruptions as he had done in the past few years.

"I have been doing this for several years now, I think about four or five years. At the end of every session, I have been returning (part of) my salary and daily allowance in the same proportion as the time that has been lost in the Lok Sabha due to disruptions," Mr Panda said.

The BJD lawmaker admitted that his contribution was nothing compared to the huge amount of money that has been wasted.

"The country is losing lots of money because of the disruptions in Parliament. So, this is my symbolic gesture. Because conscience bothers me that we are all taking all these benefits and not doing the job which we are supposed to do," he said.

Mr Panda claims that he never disrupted Parliament even once "in my last 16 years". 

The repeated disruptions and adjournments in the recently-concluded Winter Session also drew a sharp reaction from President Pranab Mukherjee. "For God's sake, do your job. You are meant to transact business in Parliament," President Mukherjee had said in a  strong rebuke at parliamentarians. 

(with inputs from PTI)