Speaker flayed for resorting to Privilages Committee

Speaker Somnath Chatterjee has ruffled feathers among some political parties which on Saturday criticised the decision

New Delhi: Reference of 32 Members of Parliament to the Privileges Committee by Speaker Somnath Chatterjee has ruffled feathers among some political parties which on Saturday criticised the decision and vowed to oppose the "injustice". Opposition National Democratic Alliance has convened a meeting of its leaders on Monday to discuss the issue and decide the future strategy.

Chatterjee referred to the Privileges Committee the issue pertaining to 32 MPs, most of them belonging to the opposition, for their "unruly behaviour" in the House last week.

Bharatiya Janata Party leader and former Union Minister Shahnawaz Hussain, whose name figures among five party MPs referred to the Privileges Committee, asserted that members had the right to raise issues, like price rise, in Parliament and there could be "no compromise" by the opposition on it.

Justifying their protest in the House, Shiv Sena, whose two MPs are in the dock in the matter, said the party will not tolerate "injustice". Party spokesman Sanjay Raut told PTI that whatever has been done in the House was for "raising a burning issue" and "we are not apologetic about it".

In a sharp attack on Chatterjee, Samajwadi Party leader Mohan Singh said the Speaker was "neither a monarch, nor the members his subjects".

Singh said the Speaker "cannot take any action. Speaker reflects the will of the House and the House appoints the Speaker to regulate its proceedings." (PTI)

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