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CPI(M) Leader Bikas Bhattacharya Declines MP Pension, Sparks Public Acclaim

Veteran CPI(M) leader and former Rajya Sabha member Bikas Ranjan Bhattacharya has formally declined to accept the pension allotted to retired MPs. He communicated his decision in a letter to the Rajya Sabha Secretary General, which he shared on social media. This act continues his longstanding practice of refusing emoluments from elected posts, as he also did while serving as the Mayor of Kolkata. His decision has been widely praised on social media as a stand against materialism in contemporary politics.

Key Points: Ex-Rajya Sabha MP Bikas Bhattacharya Refuses Pension

  • Declines post-retirement MP pension
  • Cites spirit of sacrifice
  • History of refusing official emoluments
  • Running for Jadavpur Assembly seat
  • Praised on social media
2 min read

Former CPI(M) Rajya Sabha member declines to accept pension for retired MPs

Veteran CPI(M) leader Bikas Ranjan Bhattacharya declines government pension for retired MPs, continuing his history of forgoing official emoluments.

"I have decided not to accept the pension available to a retired MP. - Bikas Ranjan Bhattacharya"

Kolkata, April 17

Veteran CPI leader and senior advocate, Bikas Ranjan Bhattacharya, whose term as a member of the Rajya Sabha ended recently, has declined to accept the pension allotted by the Union Government for former MPs.

A communique on this count, sent by Bhattacharya to the Secretary General of the Rajya Sabha, was posted on his official social media handle in the morning.

"Sir, this is to inform you that I have decided not to accept the pension available to a retired MP. You please keep your record to reflect my desire and oblige," read the communique dated April 16.

Bhattacharya was elected as a Rajya Sabha member from West Bengal on April 3, 2020, backed by Congress. His term as a Rajya Sabha MP ended on April 2 this year.

In the five Rajya Sabha seats in West Bengal where elections were held a few days ago, the CPI(M)-led Left Front could not field any candidates, as it has no representatives in the West Bengal Assembly.

Four representatives of the ruling Trinamool Congress and one representative of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) were elected unopposed for the five vacant seats in the Upper House of the Parliament from West Bengal.

Bhattacharya is the CPI(M) candidate from Jadavpur Assembly constituency in South 24 Parganas district in the forthcoming two-phase Assembly elections. Jadavapur will be going to the polls in the second phase on April 29.

Even in the past, when Bhattacharya held important elected government posts, he refrained from accepting emoluments that he was entitled to by virtue of occupying those chairs, recall CPI(M) veterans

Earlier, when he was the Mayor of Kolkata Municipal Corporation from July 2005 to June 2010, he did not accept the emoluments he was entitled to as Mayor of Kolkata.

Bhattacharya's decision to decline a pension as a former Rajya Sabha member has received accolades on social media, with people saying that Bhattacharya has proved that the spirit of sacrifice still prevails among some people in the current age of materialism and ultimate greed.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
While I respect his personal choice, I hope this doesn't become an expectation for all retired public servants. A pension is a rightful benefit for years of service, not a charity. We need sustainable systems, not just symbolic gestures.
V
Vikram M
He did the same as Mayor of Kolkata. Consistency in character! In an era where politics is seen as a business, such actions restore some faith. Best of luck for Jadavpur elections.
P
Priyanka N
This is a powerful message, especially when the Left Front couldn't even field candidates for Rajya Sabha this time. It highlights ideology over personal gain. Respect.
R
Rohit P
Good gesture, but let's be real. One MP refusing pension won't change the system. The focus should be on reducing the massive perks and benefits for all MPs and MLAs. That would save the exchequer real money.
M
Meera T
As a senior advocate, he probably has his own income. Not everyone is in that position. Still, it sets a benchmark. Hope his decision inspires younger politicians to value service over self-enrichment.

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