The Hindu : Front Page : Natwar not allowed to speak

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Aug 18, 2006

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Natwar not allowed to speak

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: Suspended Congress member K. Natwar Singh was not allowed to participate in the short duration discussion in the Rajya Sabha on the nuclear deal with the United States.

Citing procedural rules, House Deputy Chairperson K. Rehman Khan turned down Mr. Singh's request for an intervention, as his name did not figure in the list of speakers submitted by the Congress.

Mr. Singh rose and sought permission to speak as soon as the Chair named Arun Shourie (Bharatiya Janata Party) as the next speaker. He wanted an opportunity to air his views, as he was the Foreign Minister when the July 18 joint statement was agreed upon. ``I was the External Affairs Minister when the deal was announced in Washington and I have the right to speak."

When Mr. Khan said no permission had come from the Congress, Mr. Singh said he had given a notice to the Chairman Bhairon Singh Shekhawat also.

He found support from the Leader of the Opposition Jaswant Singh and Mr. Shourie, who said the deal would impact the country for the next 50 years and the House should not be deprived of any important information that Mr. Singh had to share.

However, with the Chair remaining unrelenting, Mr. Singh's participation remained limited to listening to the debate from the front row of the ruling party benches, which are usually occupied by senior Ministers.

Mr. Singh later told The Hindu that his party did not allow him to speak on the important subject.

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