Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar announced on Wednesday that the lawmakers of the ruling NDA would give up their salary for the 23 days as Parliament did not function in the second half of the Budget Session.
With continuous disruptions, the government is staring at a washed-out session.
“This money is given to serve the people and if we are not able to do, so we have no right to take the people’s money,” Anant Kumar told the reporters.
“The Congress is engaging in anti-democratic politics by stopping important bills from being passed leading to criminal wastage of taxpayers’ money,” the Union Minister added.
Kumar said as the House was not functioning, BJP members had decided not to take any remuneration that they are entitled to as MPs for the entire second part of the budget session.
After his remarks, angry Congress members strongly protested saying it was the government which was running away from the discussion on no-confidence motion.
The move is being seen as an effort to dodge the blame of disruption in the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha on Opposition.
According to media reports, the Opposition had earlier alleged that the AIADMK had been disrupting Parliament at the behest of NDA in a bid to that the proposed no-trust motion is not taken up.
The Lok Sabha proceedings were disrupted for the 21st consecutive day on Thursday as the Congress and BJP members traded charges over the near washout of the Budget session.
The members of the AIADMK staged noisy protests seeking early constitution of the Cauvery water management board following which the House was adjourned for the day.
Soon after the House met to take up the day’s business, AIADMK members trooped into the Well and raised slogans seeking immediate constitution of the board.
Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge said the Congress and the entire opposition were ready for a discussion on the no- confidence motion moved by some of them besides looking for debates on alleged dilution of SC/ST Act, PNB scam involving diamantaire Nirav Modi.
Countering Kharge, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar said the BJP and NDA were ready for a discussion on the no-confidence motion and sought immediate debate on it.
He alleged that the Congress was against the debate and trying to prevent the discussions on the no-confidence motion, which is against democracy.
(With agency inputs)