Bhubaneswar, December 15: The Leaders of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), Odisha unit, on Monday submitted a memorandum to the Governor of Odisha, Haribabu Kumbhampati, urging him to reject the Odisha Jan Pratinidhi (Amendment) Bill 2025, which proposes increased salaries, allowances, and pensions for legislators.

The Bill, passed by the Odisha Legislative Assembly on December 9, also includes amendments to the Speaker's and Ministers' salaries.

CPI(M) leaders, including State Secretary Suresh Chandra Panigrahy, senior leader Bishnu Mohanty, Puspa Dash, Badri Narayan Dash, and others, argued that the Bills are unfair and anti-people, especially as Odisha faces unemployment, agrarian distress, and rising prices.

CPI(M) plans to protest statewide and to seek the attention of the President of India and Speaker of the Odisha Assembly, demanding the immediate withdrawal of the Bills.

They criticized both the ruling and opposition parties for passing laws that benefit themselves at the expense of public money. The new salary packages, reportedly totaling Rs 3,45,000 per month, were described as a mockery of citizens' struggles. CPI(M) likened the situation to the repeal of the farm laws, calling for the same public pressure to scrap the Bills.