Somnath declines to comment on Maran's resignation

Chennai, May 12 (UNI) Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee today declined to comment on the receipt of resignation of Union Communication and Information Technology Minister Dayanidhi Maran by the Lok Sabha secretariat.

''I don't know,' Mr Chatterjee, who arrived here today from New Delhi to felicitate DMK President and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi on the completion of his 50 years as legislator in the Assembly, told newspersons when asked whether Mr Maran had submitted his resignation from the Council of Ministers.

''I am very happy to felicitate Mr Karunanidhi on the Floor of the state Assembly on his golden jubilee,'' Mr Chatterjee said.

Mr Maran and family-run SUN TV is at the ''centre of controversy'' following the recent attack on Tamil Daily 'Dinakaran' at Madurai.

While Mr Maran received Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress President Sonia Gandhi, who came here to felicitate Mr Karunanidhi on his golden jubilee, at the airport, he stayed away from the felicitation function.

Meanwhile, Mr Maran, who boarded the Coimbatore flight this morning, parried questions about the rumour of his resignation.

UNI