LS censures Kashyap for breach of privilege

New Delhi, May 23 (UNI) The report of the Committee on Privileges of the Lok Sabha recommending action against former Secretary General Subhash C Kashyap for being guilty of ''grave misconduct'' took the House by storm on the concluding day of the second half of the Budget Session today, forcing the Speaker to adjourn it sine die amid unprecedented noisy scenes by the Opposition BJP.

Mr Kashyap in an interview to a TV channel had allegedly cast aspersion on Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee by imputing motives to him on an issue concerning Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee.

The Privileges Committee, in its report, had found that the former Secretary General had committed a gross breach of privilege and contempt of the House ''by imputing motives to the Speaker in discharging his duties and casting reflections on his impartiality''.

Leader of the House Pranab Mukherjee on behalf of the Government moved a resolution admonishing Mr Kashyap for ''grave misconduct'' agreeing with the Privilege Committee report. The resolution was adopted by the House by a voice vote.

The House witnessed two adjournments on the issue before the Speaker hurriedly adjourned it sine die shortly after lunch break, amid the continuing pandemonium.

The BJP members were so agitated that trooped into the well of the House twice during the day shouting slogans ''tanashahi nahi chalegi'' against the unilateral decision to reprimand Mr Kashyap.

They created noisy scenes on the issue during question hour and later during zero hour. It all started when Ms Maneka Gandhi (BJP) asked how a unilateral decision could be taken on such an important issue and called for a discussion. Mr V K Malhotra also objected to unilateral decision taken by the Government without informing NDA members.

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