One month's 'Salary Challenge'; becoming a challenge for both sides

Thiruvananthapuram: The state government initiative to mobilize funds for rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts after Kerala's devastating floods in August, through one month's salary from all arms of the government, dubbed 'Salary Challenge', seems to turn into a real challenge for two sides, both political.

It had got off to a brilliant start with the Governor handing his cheque of one month's salary to the government. Soon, the state's legislators and political leaders started vying with one another volunteering to part with their salary and pension for one month in the mega fund-raising effort.

While the Opposition had gone whole hog in co-operating with the government machinery in the massive rescue and relief efforts, things took a different turn as days and weeks passed by in the post-flood scenario of blame game about the causes of flood and the nitty-gritty of its management. On one side was the usual Opposition political persuasion that a ruling coalition should not be allowed to run away with a reputation of crisis management, and on the other the need to create news tempo against the failings of the government.

After the government order was issued for deducting employees' salary for one month towards Chief Miniser's Distress Relief Fund (CMDRF), the Opposition has come out with the criticism that the contribution by employees should have been made voluntary rather than compulsory or 'imposed'. While the government order was in the works, it was reported that the employees would have the option to give salary of one month or specified number of days or even not give any at all. However, as it came about, the order mentions none of that. As per the order the default is deduction, and if the employees wanted exemption, they were free to do that by an express request in writing – an embarrassing step for the salary earner that may put him in disrepute of not doing anything for the cause.

The administrative position remaining so, on either side of the political divide - the ruling LDF and Opposition UDF - service organizations of employees at different strata of civil service started taking opposing positions on the issue. Predictably bodies affiliated to the UDF are in a mood to resist the compulsory donation, with the risk of those on the ruling side going in a bid to tarnish the rivals' image. Altogether, the government's drive for mobilizing a good part of the targeted funds is likely to run into rough weather, or a real 'challenge'.

The criticism raised by the Opposition is that it turned a blind eye to the suggestion that staff should be asked to contribute according to their capacity. But the government made it an 'all or none' choice. Opposition-allied organizations are vowed to resist tooth and nail the compulsory donation, which can be said to have been officially triggered by Ramesh Chennithala who wrote a letter to chief minister to stop the same.

All the same those unwilling to donate a full month's salary are unlikely to be limited to the Opposition-affiliated. Employees across the divide are wary of giving a written request not to deduct their salary towards the fund, and thus inviting vindictive action from superiors. They also fear a kind of 'image loss' as one who stopped short of parting with money for disaster relief. Even active members of pro-government organizations share this concern.

On another level, a section is also mulling legal recourse against the government's decision. The grounds cited for this is that instead of getting written consent for those willing to contribute, the order assumes all are for it and asks exemption-seekers to do the written request. This is against rules, according to this school of though.