Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has urged government employees and teachers to contribute a month’s salary to the Chief Minister’s Distress Relief Fund (CMDRF). The CM held a meeting with the representatives of the employees’ unions in this regard on Monday.
In 2018, the government’s rules for a similar challenge post the devastating floods got scathing comments from both the High Court and Supreme Court. This time, however, the government has not yet mentioned if the employees would have to give a no-consent letter if they wished to not donate.
This time, the trade unions affiliated to the ruling Left Democratic Front government agreed with the proposal, those affiliated to the Opposition political parties did not fully approve of the idea of contributing a month’s salary.
Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala also responded to the CM’s plea, stating that everyone should help out according to their ability and should cooperate with the salary challenge.
“It would be thoughtful to donate a month’s salary if possible,” Chennithala said.
The Kerala economy has been going through a financial crisis worsened by the floods in 2018 and 2019.
The state will face a severe fund crunch in the coming months as the State Beverage Corporation’s outlets have also been closed now for the fear of the coronavirus getting transmitted. The sale of liquor forms a major chunk of the state’s revenue.
What happened in 2018
The Kerala government had first come up with the salary challenge to donate to the Chief Minister’s Distress Relief Fund during the deluge in 2018. The request was repeated in 2019 and there was a fair response from the people.
However the government’s directive to give a ‘no consent’ letter if employees were not willing to donate had sparked a row and both the Kerala High Court and Supreme Court had stayed it.
The Kerala High Court had stayed the directive observing that employees can donate whatever amount they prefer.
In the Supreme Court, Justice Arun Mishra remarked, "As SC judges, we (referring to Justice Vineeth Saran also) have contributed Rs.25,000 each to the Kerala Flood Releif Fund. Now imagine that we were not willing to make the contribution. Why should we be forced to bring humiliation upon ourselves by declaring our unwillingness to contribute? You say that if "no consent" declaration is not given before October 22, salary will be recovered. How can that be permissible?"
The SC said that there should not be any compulsion to give "no consent" letter and people can contribute voluntarily.