While Congress leaders in Uttar Pradesh were quick to accuse the state government of apathy towards drought-affected areas, they have not yet started donating 20 per cent of their salaries for drought victims, as directed by party president Sonia Gandhi.

It was about 20 days ago that the Congress president had asked its MPs and MLAs to make the donation and adopt austerity measures. The donations were to begin on September 1. However, UP Congressmen don’t even know where the money is to be deposited.

“I read about it in papers. I have not done it so far but if the high command has ordered then all of us would do it. We are just waiting for the formal orders to know how to do it,” said Ashok Singh, MLA from Sareni in Rae Bareli.

The Congress has 19 MLAs and 21 Lok Sabha members from the state.

“We are waiting to know whether it is to be given in cash or through cheque and where, or whether it would be directly cut from our salaries,” said Ishwar Chandra Shukla, MLA from Sidharthnagar.

Some did not even know that the donation has to be made every month for a year. “I do not know much about it because I am out of station but I believe we have to deposit our one month salary,” said another MLA.

The Accounts department of the UP Congress Committee said they did not know the details and had not received any donations so far.

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