Left-front govt in Kerala accused of passing the buck on pay cuts

In what could be considered as passing the buck, the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front government in Kerala is planning to cut another month's salary from government employees and allow the employees to draw the deducted two-month salary from June 2021, by which time the term of the present government will end.

The decision of the government already triggered strong resentment from employees and protest from the Opposition Congress-led United Democratic Front. Government doctors in the state even informed the government that they would go on strike in case of a further salary cut.

In view of the financial crunches owing to Covid-19, the government already deducted one month salary in equal instalments from April to August.

On Wednesday the state cabinet decided to deduct one more month salary in equal instalments for six months from September - five days salary per month. "The entire two months' salary thus deducted would be credited to the provident fund account of employees by April 2021 with nine per cent interest and the employees would be allowed to withdraw the amount by June 2021. A final decision on this would be taken after discussion with employees organisations," said a statement from the Chief Minster's office.

The government also stated that repaying the one month salary deducted so far involved a financial liability of Rs 2,500 crore.

While the service organisations, especially those affiliated to the Congress, already expressed strong resentment over the move for a further salary cut, the Congress, which is having high hopes of returning to power in Kerala, alleged that the government was trying to pass the buck to the next government.

Term of the current government will end in May 2021. Hence the next government will have to bear the responsibility if the government goes by the decision to allow employees to withdraw the two-month salary from PF accounts by June 2021.

Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala alleged that it was government's crookedness to pass on the responsibility of the salary cut by this government to the next government. The government should show the decency to repay the deducted salary before its term ends, he said.

Doctors and health workers are also protesting against the moves for a further salary cut. During the initial round of salary cut also the health workers were demanded that they should be spared from salary cut and even approached court.

Kerala Government Medical Officers' Association on Thursday gave a representation to the government stating that in case of a further salary cut, the doctors would be forced to go on strike. For months the doctors and health workers have been fighting relentlessly against Covid-19, even at the risk of getting infected. Even then the government was demoralising the doctors and health workers by bringing them also under the purview of a salary cut. Instead, the government should have introduced a risk allowance to those fighting Covid-19 from the front line, said the association state president Dr Joseph Chacko.