Parliamentarians and Pay hikes

Our MPs have decided to give themselves a 300% hike to their compensation along with other emoluments like 30+ business class return airfare, free first class train fare for their families, medicals etc...etc there is still a demand to make it 500% by some members. It is easier to do that for this privileged class since they themselves decide whether it should be 300 or 500%, there is no pay commission to deliberate or like in the private sector performance based hikes. 30% for public servants and 300% for themselves looks plain selfish (there are arguments that the base is low, however if we add up all emoluments the cost to the tax payer is painful).

It would be unfair to brush every parliamentarian as corrupt and undeserving but it hard to erase the general perception about them being dishonest, venal etc. There are no hard numbers available on number of parliamentarians who are corrupt and have criminal back grounds, but it is said about 40-50% do fall in this category. Then why do we give hikes to this bunch. Do the likes of Lalu Yadav who are involved in scams deserve hikes?

The issue of cost to the exchequer does not arise in these undeserving hikes, in case of hikes to the public servants and armed forces govt is prompt in establishing committees to look into the matter and take years to decide.

How many policy wonks do we exactly have in the parliament who actually debate issues of national importance and legislate? It is mostly commotion and partisan behavior that the public get to see in the parliamentary proceedings. Parliamentarians are expected to debate and contribute to policy, since for most of them contribution in this area is dismal the do not deserve an increase in pay.
Shouldn’t there be a third party assessing each of the members and recommending hikes based on their performance ( attendance, contribution to policy, right use of constituency funds, participation in debates, raising issues of national importance etc).

This is one more instance of insensitive behavior by our parliamentarians, while the common man is fighting inflation. With all the above I would still say please take care and pay well for those Parliamentarians who are trying to make a difference, not to the majority who are not.