Vajpayee letter cast a deep, sharp shadow on LS: UPA MPs

New Delhi, Aug 11 (UNI) A majority of political parties belonging to the ruling UPA and outside its fold today said the letter of former Prime Minister A B Vajpayee to Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee had ''cast a deep, dark shadow on the entire House'', and urged the Chair not to get affected by any provocation.

''...Under no circumstances and provocation should there be any reflection on the conduct of the Chair in any form or manner,'' they said while expressing ''deep anguish'' at the tone and contents of the letter dated August 8, insinuating partiality of the Speaker in the conduct of business of the 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,'' said a joint statement issued by the Congress and its UPA allies, and the supporting Left parties, Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samajwadi Party.

The Telugu Desam Party and the National Conference also signed the endorsement.

Releasing the copy of the statement, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi said all these parties unanimously resolved to release the statement.

''The Speaker is more of an institution rather than a person and any aspersions on the keystone of Parliamentary democracy is an indictment of all its constituents, who have faithfully served the people of India for five decades and more.'' Mr Dasmunsi said the signed endorsement of the leaders belonging to the UPA and outside reflected with the overwhelming majorities view on the text of the letter of Mr Vajpayee.

It was on the letter issue that the BJP and the Left Parties yesterday indulged in heated exchanges, leading to the adjournment of the Lok Sabha several hours ahead of schedule.

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