M A I N   N E W S

Speaker relents, MPs promise to behave themselves
Aditi Tandon
Tribune News service

(From right): BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain, Srichandra Kriplani and Sangeeta Kumari keep fingers on their lips to protest against Speaker Somnath Chatterjee’s action of referring cases of 32 members to the Privileges Committee, at Parliament House in New Delhi on Monday. — PTI

New Delhi, May 5
After a dramatic start to the Lok Sabha today, Speaker Somnath Chatterjee withdrew the references he had made last Thursday to the parliament’s Privileges Committee against 32 unruly opposition MPs. The withdrawal came after leaders of the political parties in the Lok Sabha met the Speaker and assured him of cooperation in smooth functioning of the House.

Earlier, the Speaker had to adjourn the house till 2 pm after NDA leaders indulged in theatrics by vowing to be silent in protest against the Speaker’s move to discipline them. When the House reassembled, leader of the House Pranab Mukherjee requested the Speaker to reconsider his decision to refer the matter relating to 32 MPs to the privileges committee. Leader of the opposition L.K. Advani endorsed the request, and the Speaker ended the crisis by saying he would reconsider his decision.

“Smooth functioning of the House is my only concern. In view of the request, I have decided to reconsider my decision,” said the Speaker, triggering angry protests from Devendra Yadav of the RJD who said reconsideration was not permitted under the rules. Yadav also made unsavoury comments about NDA leaders, who took strong exception to his remarks.

Later during the meeting with the Speaker, melodrama reigned in abundance, with the BJP telling the Speaker he was too sensitive and asking him to recall his reference. They wanted the Speaker to make an announcement to this effect in the House, promoting ruling coalition leaders Pranab Mukherjee, Sharad Pawar and Lalu Prasad Yadav to intervene and say that dignity of the Chair had to be protected. Lalu boycotted the meeting insisting the proceedings be recorded; while V.K. Malhotra of the BJP kept playing tough.

Opposition members Chandrakant Khaire of the Shiv Sena and Mohan Singh of the BSP remained defiant, saying occasions of disorder had arisen in the past. Mohan Singh even took on the Speaker saying the latter had been suspended from the House in 1989, a matter the Speaker clarified.

In 1989, 60 MPs had been suspended on a motion moved by H.K.L. Bhagat on the Thakkar Commission report. Somnath Chatterjee and his colleagues had sought to be suspended so they could join their colleagues. Advani for his part requested the Speaker once for reconsideration. Finally, the conciliation formula was worked out, paving the way for crisis diffusion. Under rules, the Speaker has inherent powers to do what he deems fit, zero hour being a fit example. Though not part of rule book, it has become an important parliamentary tool after being invoked by the Speaker.

About today’s developments, political observers say the Speaker made his point by compelling political leaders to offer an assurance. The Speaker, however, seemed ill at ease with the day’s developments.