Sen's ''headless chickens'' remark rocks RS, members demand recall

New Delhi, Aug 21 (UNI) Furious over Indian Ambassador to US Ronen Sen's reported remarks about the opponents of the nucler deal, the Opposition and the Left parties today stalled the proceedings of the Rajya Sabha, demanding that the envoy be recalled and made to appear before the House to be admonished.

The uproar created by a united Opposition and the Left over Mr Sen's alleged statement, carried by an English daily, that all those opposing the deal were ''headless chickens'' made it impossible for Chairman Hamid Ansari to conduct the Question Hour and he announced the House's adjournment for an hour within minutes of the beginning of the day's proceedings.

As soon as the House met, all the Members except those from the treasury benches stood up on their seats waving copies of the Ambassador's statement and demanding the Chair suspend the Question Hour to take up the matter.

They said the Ambassador had no right to make the comment as it was beyond his brief and ''was an insult to the country's Parliamentarians''.

Ms Sushma Swaraj and Mr Murli Manohar Joshi of the BJP wanted the recall of the Ambassador while the Left members demanded a discussion on the matter in the House Several members rushed into the well, protesting vociferously.

The Chairman requested them to go back to their places and allow Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Suresh Pachauri to make a statement, following which the Minister stood up but his words were lost in the din.

When Mr Ansari's pleas fell on deaf years with the members being in no mood to listen to anything, he announced the adjournment of the House for an hour till 1200 hrs.

UNI