Ahmedabad – AAP MLA from Visavadar, Gopal Italia, on Wednesday highlighted the ongoing Gujarat fixed salary issue in a press conference at the state assembly, questioning the government’s priorities and expenditure on lawyers while failing to pay full salaries to fixed-pay employees.
Speaking to the media, Italia said that the Gujarat High Court ruled in 2012 that no employee can be exploited under the guise of fixed salaries and that the principle of “equal pay for equal work” applies under the Constitution of India. However, he claimed the BJP government ignored this order and challenged it in the Supreme Court, spending crores of rupees on high-profile lawyers instead of paying employees their rightful dues.
Lawyers Paid Millions While Employees Wait
Italia listed prominent lawyers representing the government in the Supreme Court for the Gujarat fixed salary issue, including Mahesh Agarwal, Harish Salve, Kamal Trivedi, Mukul Rohatgi, K.K. Venugopal, Tushar Mehta, Neeraj Kishan Kaul, and Manishaben L. Shah. According to Italia, some lawyers are paid 10–20 crore rupees per case, while government employees, who work tirelessly in remote areas and even contribute to BJP events, are still awaiting full salaries.
કોળી સમાજની આસ્થાનું કેન્દ્ર એવા સંત શ્રી વેલનાથ બાપુના ધુણાનો વિકાસ કરવામાં આવે તે બાબતે AAP ધારાસભ્ય @Gopal_Italia એ રજૂઆત કરી હતી. pic.twitter.com/CrPOmbf9um
— AAP Gujarat (@AAPGujarat) March 16, 2026
“Why does the government spend crores of rupees on lawyers like Harish Salve, Kamal Trivedi, Mukul Rohatgi, and Tushar Mehta, but cannot pay the hardworking employees their fixed salaries?” Italia questioned. He added that lawyers like Trivedi, Rohatgi, Mehta, and Shah receive ₹2 lakh per day, while K.K. Venugopal gets ₹5 lakh for an entire case along with additional payments for clerks, and Mahesh Agarwal is paid several lakh rupees for paper reading and drafting work.
Also read: AAP Protests Against Government Over Worsening LPG Shortage in Gujarat
Employees Deserve Justice
Italia emphasized that from 2012 to 2026, the government has spent crores of rupees fighting against the employees in court, while these employees have worked for years under challenging conditions. “If the money spent on lawyers had been used for paying fixed-salary employees, it would have provided much-needed relief to them. Employees working away from their homes and families deserve their full wages, and it is unjust that the government prioritizes lawyers over them,” he said.
Call for Immediate Action
Italia demanded that the government immediately release pending salaries to fixed-pay employees and implement the High Court’s 2012 ruling. He stressed that employees who have served for multiple years on fixed pay, like himself, deserve proper compensation. “The BJP government must stop this misplaced spending and address the Gujarat fixed salary issue immediately,” Italia said.
By highlighting the Gujarat fixed salary issue, Italia aims to bring attention to government mismanagement and advocate for the rights of employees who continue to serve the state faithfully despite financial neglect.