Speaker writes to Vajpayee to reconsider boycott decision

New Delhi, Aug 7 (UNI) Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee today urged NDA Chairman and former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to reconsider the decision to boycott the House tomorrow.

In a letter to Mr Vajpayee, the Speaker said for parliamentary democracy to function, it is essential to have full participation by the Opposition in the proceedings of the House.

''I am extremely sorry to learn that my friends in the NDA have decided not to attend the House tomorrow and the meeting of the Leaders, which I hold everyday at 1030 hrs,'' Mr Chatterjee says in the letter.

The letter ends with the Speaker requesting Mr Vajpayee to reconsider the decision and join the proceedings as before.

The NDA decided to boycott the Lok Sabha and the routine all-party meeting with the Speaker to protest Mr Chatterjee's decision to go on with legislative business despite Opposition protests over the leakage of the Justice Pathak Committee report today.

The decision was taken at an emergency meeting of the leaders of NDA constituents at leader of Opposition L K Advani's residence this evening.

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