Chatterjee refers 32 MP's cases to Privileges Committee

New Delhi, May 1 (UNI) Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee has referred to the Privileges Committee cases of 32 Lok Sabha MP's mainly belonging to the Opposition for their alleged misconduct in the House.

The reference of the Lok Sabha Speaker could have far reaching consequences as this is a rare action when the Speaker is anguished over repeated disruptions in the House. The immediate provocation was the April 24 incidents which saw Opposition members storming the well of the House shouting slogans without paying heed to the Chair.

Protest in the House that day was prompted by the NDA agitation against price rise which found its echo in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha after the Opposition members formed a human chain outside Parliament to denounce the government's failure to check price rise.

Members whose cases have been referred to the Privileges Committee for "examination, investigation and report" include 23 BJP members comprising some of the promiment leaders like Mr Shahnawaz Hussain, Mr P S Gadhavi, Mr M A Kharabela Swain, Mr Kishan Singh Sangwan and Ms Kiran Maheswari.

The list also includes Mr Chandrakant Khaire and Mr Kalpana Ramesh Narhire both from the Shiv Sena, Mr Rattan Singh Ajnala and Mr Sukhdeo Singh Libra both belonging to SAD as also Mr Tathagatha Satpathy (BJD) and Mr Brajesh Pathak (BSP).

The Speaker referred the matter to the Privileges Committee yesterday which also witnessed some noisy scenes during the Zero Hour prompting Mr Chatterjee to observe that it has turned into a "torture hour".

Mr Chatterjee at one point told the agitated Samajwadi Party members that they cannot threaten the Chair.

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