Insinuations against Speaker culture of Lok Sabha: Somnath

New Delhi, Nov 22 (UNI) Livid over a BJP member challenging his ruling, Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee today said it had become the ''culture of the House'' to make ''insinuations and allegations'' against the Speaker.

''If you want, I will go,'' Mr Chattejee said after Mr Kharabela Swain (BJP) repeatedly challenged the Speaker's ruling disallowing his supplementary on petroleum prices.

''When it becomes inconvenient for the Minister, you disallow my question,'' Mr Swain said, and refused to take his seat.

Mr Chatterjee said it was he who would decide as the Speaker whether to allow or disallow a supplementary, and nobody had the right to challenge it.

''It has become the habit of some to challenge the Speaker's ruling.... It has become intolerable,'' he said.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi said that matter was always disposed of by the Speaker since the first Lok Sabha.

Several BJP members then stood on their feet, trying to shout down Mr Dasmunsi, prompting Congress members to verbally counter them.

After a few minutes of disruption, the Speaker then called for the next question.

UNI