File Photo: BJD MP (Lok Sabha) Tathagat Satpathy
The admission quota for MPs in central schools should be done away with, said a BJD member in the Lok Sabha eliciting protests from some members in the House.
"I would be very happy if the central school quota is deleted. It is a big headache," Tathagat Satpathy said.
"There are more than 360 applicants applying to me this year, where as I have only quota for six. Then they bring their tiny children. They tell me, 'you do not like me'. What has this child done to you? Why do you hate the child? Please put the child in the central school'," he noted.
Mr Satpathy, while participating in a discussion on demands for grants of Human Resource Development Ministry, said MP quota for central school admissions "should go".
Each MP has a quota of six seats every year for admission to Kendriya Vidyalayas located in their respective constituencies.
Some members voiced their disagreement with the idea.
Deputy Speaker M Thambidurai, who was in the Chair, said some members want an increase in the quota while others want to abolish it.
This is like the MPLADS Fund, which some members want to be abolished if the government is not increasing it, he said.
"We cannot abolish certain things. Why we are giving a certain quota to give something to the deprived people to help them because many people will come demanding it," he added.
Noting that members are also having quota for railway tickets, Mr Thambidurai said certain privileges cannot be taken away.