New Delhi: A report by Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) has shown shocking lopsidedness in the wealth among Indian legislators, nominating Parag Shah from Mumbai's Ghatkopar East as the richest of the country's 543 MLAs, with assets touching nearly Rs 3,400 crore. While on the other hand, Nirmal Kumar Dhara, a BJP MLA from West Bengal's Indus, filed a declaration of assets amounting to a meager Rs 1,700 only.
The ADR report was compiled after analyzing self-sworn affidavits submitted by a total of 4,092 MLAs across 28 state assemblies and three Union Territories. Moreover, the report highlights the enormous gap an extremely poor section of the legislative body has from the wealth-holding Karnataka's legislators sinking Rs 14,179 crore in assets, followed by Maharashtra with Rs 12,424 crore and Andhra Pradesh at Rs 11,323 crore.
Other significant rich individuals are Congress leader DK Shivakumar with over Rs 1,413 crore and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu with Rs 931 crore assets. Wealthiest states include Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Maharashtra, where the members of the legislature possess very high average assets like Andhra Pradesh's Rs 65.07 crore per MLA.
The report speaks about the shockingly high combined wealth of Indian MLAs: Rs 73,348 crore, more than the annual budgets of a few smaller states. It also reflects the widening gap in the economy where some, like Tripura and Manipur, are seeing less wealth being pulled together even by their MLAs.
Such revelations remind us that these people hold power, wherein such huge differences exist in wealth and will raise a very fundamental question regarding income inequalities and transparency within the Indian political setup.
[Source Credit: NDTV]
