Pondy Speaker refers CS remarks to Privilege Committee

Puducherry, Jun 29 (UNI) The privelege issue against Chief Secretary (CS) Rakesh Behari by CPI national council member and MLA R Viswanathan has been referred to the Privilege Committee by Speaker R Radhakrishnan.

Mr Viswanathan, in a letter to Mr Radhakrishnan on June 27, stated that the Chief Secretary, at a recent review meeting had termed the council of ministers a 'congregation of thieves,' which amounted to showering disgrace on representatives of the people and was against all norms of democracy.

He urged the speaker to treat it as 'a breach of privilege' and take suitable action against the Chief Secretary.

The speaker, after a meeting of the legislators referred the matter to the privilege committee headed by Deputy Speaker A V Sreedharan.

Mr Sreedharan, currently in Mahe region of the Union Territory told UNI over phone that he would be back in Puducherry on July 2 and convene a meeting of the committee comprising seven legislators.

The meeting would assess whether the issue would come under the privilege of members and if found to be taken as a breach of privilege, notice would be issued to the Chief Secretary seeking explanation and the matter would be severely dealt with, he added.

UNI PAB ROY RL BD1533