Chair annoyed about shifting stands of leaders

New Delhi, July 27 (UNI) Rajya Sabha Chairman Bhairon Singh Shekhawat today took exception to the Opposition leaders often shifting their stands over prioritising the agenda finalised at the meeting held in his chambers.

The Chair did not hide its displeasure when the Opposition benches, particularly the BJP, openly challenged the decision that the House would first discuss the of Office of Profits Bill and then take up Short Duration discussion on Mumbai Blasts.

When the issue figured in the House soon after question hour, the first to challenge the decision was BJP member Ravi Shankar Prasad, who wanted the Chair to take up the proceedings according to the revised agenda which listed continuation of discussion on Mumbai Blasts.

Trinamool Congress' Dinesh Trivedi said it was ''shameful'' that the discussion to ''save memberships'' of some MPs should get priority over the deaths of hundreds of people in terrorist blasts in Mumbai. The issue forced couple of adjournments before the House took up the issue.

When Mr Arun Shourie (BJP) said that the decisions taken at ''informal meetings'' should not be binding on the House, Mr Shekhawat asserted that he was well within his powers to change the agenda after consultation with the leaders concerned. ''I have taken the decision and it should be final and the parties should stick to the understanding reached in the chambers,'' he said.

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