The Hindu : National : Row over Minister's absence

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Friday, Aug 18, 2006

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National

Row over Minister's absence

Special Correspondent

Speaker postpones calling attention motion relating to Labour Ministry

NEW DELHI: For the second time this week, the absence of Union Labour Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao from the Lok Sabha was raised in the House on Thursday. Speaker Somnath Chatterjee postponed a calling attention motion relating to his Ministry since Mr. Rao was indisposed.

The Speaker informed the House that Mr. Rao had sought postponement of the discussion on the violation of labour laws as he was unable to attend proceedings due to health reasons.

Gurudas Dasgupta (CPI) objected stating that they had succeeded in getting the matter listed for discussion after a long wait. CPI (M)'s Basudeb Acharia — another mover of the motion — said Mr. Rao was never seen in the House.

As BJP members egged the Left parties on to raise the matter in a bid to embarrass the Government with Kharabela Swain saying "the Minister is politically ill," the Speaker said, "When an MP says he is ill, I have no reason to doubt him."

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