Speaker initiative helps break impasse in LS

New Delhi, Aug 11 (UNI) Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee's initiative today helped break the impasse in the House over the language used by former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in his letter to the Chair with both Opposition and Treasury benches agreeing to his advice to treat the episode over.

The House saw several adjournments during the past two days over Mr Vajpayee's letter to Mr Chatterjee on behalf of the National Democratic Alliance, expressing displeasure over the partiality shown by the Speaker in conducting business in the House.

As soon as the House reassembled today, the ruling alliance and the Left parties again raised their demand for an apology from Mr Vajpayee for showing disrespect to the Chair, while the BJP-led Opposition maintained that Mr Vajpayee had not said anything objectionable and stood by every word their leader had said in the letter, forcing the Chair to adjourn the House for half an hour.

After the adjournment the Speaker, however, allowed both Leader of the House Pranab Mukherjee and Leader of the Opposition L K Advani to speak on the matter and both did not budge from their stands.

Seeing the members from both sides continued to be on their toes over the issue, Mr Chatterjee said, ''I am again and again stating that let this episode be over, at least, so far as the House is concerned...You can do whatever you like, outside. I do not want to say; there are different interpretations. So far as my feelings are concerned, I need not express. But whatever has come to me has come to me. I request you all to please cooperate. There are so many other important issues to be taken up,'' which finally ended the deadlock.

Earlier, taking exception to Mr Vajpayee casting aspersions on the Speaker, Mr Mukherjee said the leaders of various parties and groups expressed their deep anguish at the ''tone and the contents of the letter of August 8, 2006, written by a veteran Parliamentarian and former Prime Minister to the Honourable Speaker of this august House." By casting aspersions on the impartiality in the official conduct of the Speaker, it ''casts a deep, dark shadow on the entire House and the democratic values that it cherishes and has nourished over decades''.

He said a large number of leaders, including parties belonging to UPA and outside, felt very strongly that under no circumstances and provocation should there be any reflection on the conduct of the Chair in any form or manner.

Mr Mukherjee, however, added, ''We have full confidence in you (Chair).'' Disagreeing with Mr Mukherjee's statement, Mr Advani said the Opposition ''strongly endorsed every word in the letter. There are no reflections in that letter at all. In fact, I really wonder how anyone can construe that letter as being disrespectful to the Chair''.

Mr Advani said the letter was a ''sage advice'' of a senior member of the House to the Chair and sort of ''guidance'' for all members and sought that the letter be placed on record.

After the statements by the two leaders, the Speaker sought to distance himself from their views, stating that he would only say that he had received the letter of Mr Vajpayee, but had not asked anyone to make any statement.

''Please do not prolong this episode...I would request you to please cooperate. That will add to the dignity of the House,'' the Speaker remarked.

Once the issue, which had also led to the stalling of Question Hour and an hour-long adjournment of the House, was treated as closed, the Speaker announced the beginning of Zero Hour to enable members to raise matters of urgent public importance.

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