June 15: The CPM has threatened to start a mass agitation if the Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) does not roll back its decision to hike its councillors’ salaries.

Kamrup district committee secretary of the CPM, Tiken Das, said any hike at this juncture would be irrational as the cash-strapped corporation was unable to offer even the minimum basic services to the citizens.

“We strongly oppose the decision to hike the monthly honorarium of the councillors from Rs 3,000 to Rs 5,000 at a time when due to financial crunch the corporation is not able to undertake any development activity,” he said.

The party said the corporation should first ensure regular salaries and retirement benefits for its employees and immediately deposit the CPF amount deducted from the employees.

Former MLA and senior CPM leader Hemen Das said if the corporation went ahead with its decision, they would hold a mass demonstration.

Das said they would organise demonstrations in localities where the basic amenities were inadequate. “We will hold demonstrations in areas where road conditions are bad and there is no drinking water facility to expose how the corporation is ignoring the welfare of the people and giving a thrust to the welfare of the councillors,” he said.

In the general body meeting of the corporation held last month, the councillors had demanded that their honorarium should be hiked from Rs 3,000 to Rs 5,000. The GMC has so far not able to pay the honorarium of the councillors because of shortage of funds.