UPA reposes faith in Speaker; Opposition differs

New Delhi, Aug 11 (UNI) The impasse in the Lok Sabha over the harsh language in former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's letter to Speaker Somnath Chatterjee ended today even as the opposition NDA and ruling UPA and supporting parties stuck to their differing views on the issue.

The BJP-led Opposition and the Left parties, which had quarrelled over the issue yesterday resulting in the adjournment of the House virtually without transacting any business, agreed to treat the matter as closed after the statements made by Leader of the House and Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Leader of Opposition L K Advani.

Making it clear that the UPA and its outside allies had taken strong exception to Mr Vajpayee casting aspersions on the Speaker, Mr Mukherjee said, ''We have full confidence in you (Chair).'' Mr Advani, however, expressed NDA's ''strong disagreement'' with the sentiments of Mr Mukherjee and said the Opposition ''strongly endorsed every word in the letter.'' Contending that the letter had not cast any aspersions, he said it was a ''sage advice'' of a senior member of the House to the Chair and sort of ''guidance'' for all members.

Mr Advani also sought that the letter be placed on record. The NDA had boycotted the Lok Sabha on August 9 to protest against the conduct of the Speaker.

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.

''This episode is over. There are different interpretations. I do not want to express my feelings,'' Mr Chatterjee remarked.

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

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