Is the Opposition DPT Party Double Speaking? The 12th Personal Perspective

The recent DPT Meet the Press on Pay Revision revealed both double talk and double standard of the Opposition Party. The DPT Party declared that National Council had set a “bad precedent”.  The National Council was indirectly accused of not respecting the spirit of democracy, the rule of the majority and parliamentary process. 

It does not serve national interests to revive past ugly heads of politics but in the light of DPT Party attack on the National Council, it is necessary to ask some questions. How does the DPT Party describe its own acts of (1) the DPT Government lambasting the Ruling of the Supreme Court in the matter of taxation process and (2) the storm of protests made by DPT Party against the result of the 2^nd General Election? Nothing was sacred to DPT Party then. It is ok for an elected MP from DPT Party to resign but it is considered a “bad precedent” when MPs of National Council decide to sacrifice part of their salary to the national coffer. Anything in the interest of the nation seems to be anathema to DPT Party.

Of course the NC decision should have political implications but that is the essence of democracy. How else can the minority (National Council) demonstrate its unhappiness against the arbitrary decision of the majority (National Assembly)? Unlike the Opposition Party, the National Council took a political stand by which the Members and their families have to forgo considerable financial gains. And this act of sacrifice spooked the Opposition Party which had made a pretense of supporting better deal for civil servants and then strategically helped pass the Government Pay Revision.

The DPT Party seems to be founded on power and money for itself. The Party does not practice the spirit of democracy, the rule of majority or parliamentary process unless such process enables the party to gain power or money for itself. To declare that the DPT Party awaits the Prime Minister or the Speaker to endorse the NC decision before it defers the new revised salary is an illustration of height of avarice. I think the 15 Opposition members need the money. There is no need for them to defer even if all others do.