Amid widespread condemnation of winter session’s near washout, Lok Sabha member Baijayant Jay Panda made a significant impression this week saying 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," he said, adding that it was his symbolic gesture.
He admitted that this is 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.
Panda asserted that he never disrupted Parliament.
"I haven't disrupted Parliament even once in my last 16 years. It is a matter of my personal conscience," he said.
(With inputs from PTI)