Mr. President, Sir, I do not think that a salary of ten thousand rupees per month for the President and a salary of five thousand rupees for the Governor is to do much. After pondering over the problem for two days, I decided that I should freely express my opinion on this occasion. I feel that all the people in the civil services and Government officials should lead a good life and should command respect. India is a land of seers. Here dignity is not determined by money. (Hear, hear) In India sacrifice and penance have ever commanded respect. The Government officials who have taken upon themselves the burden of service permanently should have such salary as may enable them to lead a life of comfort and respect and to be free from want. But the political leaders among whom I count the President, the Governors and the Members of the Assembly also, who hold high Government offices through politics should discharge their duties in a spirit of selfless service. It has become customary in the world to provide high salaries for such functionaries and it appears that we also have no hesitation in providing high salaries. But I appeal to the Constituent Assembly that we should create a new precedent of sacrifice so that we may be able to set an example before the world and show to it a new path. We were able to achieve success and freedom, not because we were persons of wealth but because we were rich in renunciation. At present when there is moral degradation in the world, it is all the more necessary that India should show the correct path and should place before it the ideal of serving the nation through sacrifice. By our sacrifice and penance we would create an atmosphere of sacrifice not only in our own country but in the whole world. A society comes into being only through sacrifice, and for its uplift too it is necessary to awaken and encourage the feelings of sacrifice.
