Punjab Congress president Capt Amarinder Singh on Saturday had a dig at Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal saying he appears no different from Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, when it comes to greed for money as he has turned the self proclaimed "common man's government into a plutocracy".

"Kejriwal and his party's greed for money stands exposed with such a shameless hike in the MLAs' salaries, which is absolutely unfair, unjustified and outright loot of the public exchequer", he said.

India Today exclusive: Amarinder Singh takes a jibe at Jaitley, Kejriwal



"Today if anybody can rival the greed of Parkash Singh Badal for money, Kejriwal fits the frame best", he remarked, adding, "the only difference is that Badal does it illegally and Kejriwal has tried to legalise it"

"400 per cent hike in the salaries of the MLAs is too shameless and unprecedented in the history of the country and may be the world even, and it only betrays the plutocratic mindset of Kejriwal", Capt Amarinder said in a statement issued in Chandigarh on Saturday.

The Punjab Congress president pointed out, Kejriwal had raised the MLAs' salary by over 400 per cent which has never been heard in the history, not even in rich and affluent countries.

"No matter how much hoarse he may cry about integrity and probity in public life, he (Kejriwal) has actually legalised the loot of public exchequer", he remarked, while adding, on the one hand Kejriwal claims to curb corruption and on the other hand "he has legalised the loot by legislators through legislation".

Giving details, Capt Amarinder said, now an MLA in Delhi will get Rs 2.10 lakh salary a month, besides other perks like free housing and travel facility outside the consittuency, while a minster will get about Rs 3 lakhs a month and Kejriwal himself will get about Rs 3.5 lakh a month.

"When common man, Kejriwal claims to represent, cannot make both ends meet, Delhi legislators will be living and indulging in the luxury at their (common man's cost)", he observed.