Aam Aadmi Party MLA, Amanatullah, on Thursday said that his children’s name had been struck off their school because of non payment of fees.
The MLA from Okhla said that he had been unable to pay the school fees of his children for last six months because of poor salary.
He said, “This is not only embarrassing for a parent but also distressing. My wife has been inconsolable since last night. They tried reaching out to me yesterday but I was stuck in the assembly session… today, I was busy with a party protest. If I could afford to pay the fees, I would have done so several months ago. If you are an honest MLA, how can you manage with such an abysmal salary.”
Khan’s daughter, who is in Class III, and son, who is in Class VII, were studying in Hamdard Public school and their names were struck off the register this week after they failed to pay their school fees for six months.
“We received text messages saying their names had been struck off from the roll and we will now have to contact the school office for re-admission that will involve additional charges. The outstanding amount was already Rs 58,000 for both my children… now, with the re-admission fees, where will we arrange so much money from? For someone who could not pay the fees, how does the school expect us to pay more,” he was quoted by Indian Express.
He said that it had been very difficult for him to face his wife and children on this issue.
Talking about his current pay as an MLA, he said, “From the Rs 83,500 that I get every month, Rs 62,000 is spent in running my office, which includes salaries of two data operators whom I pay Rs 30,000; Rs 12,000 is for a driver; and Rs 20,000 for two office boys… I have turned the ground floor of our house into my office… All my finances are transparent.”
The Delhi government had recently proposed hiking the salaries of Delhi MLAs, a proposal that’s current awaiting the MHA’s approval.