The Hindu : National : BJP to raise quarrel with Speaker at NDA meet

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Wednesday, Dec 06, 2006
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National

BJP to raise quarrel with Speaker at NDA meet

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI : With both Houses of Parliament functioning smoothly on Tuesday, the Government is hoping that the impasse involving the Bharatiya Janata Party is "almost" over.

However, the BJP has decided to take its quarrel with the Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee to the National Democratic Alliance, which will meet on Wednesday.

The way for a rapprochement — after the walkout by the BJP in the Lok Sabha followed by a day's "boycott" and staying away from the Business Advisory Committee meeting — was paved on Monday evening after several meetings and consultations.

After the Rajya Sabha was adjourned for the day in the forenoon on Monday, Chairman of the Rajya Sabha Bhairon Singh Shekhawat reportedly told Mr. Chatterjee that he wanted to meet him.

The "tension" of running the Houses was reportedly discussed at the meeting, to which, Leader of the House Pranab Mukherjee and Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Jaswant Singh were invited later.

Morning meetings

The Government repeatedly made the point that in the two Houses, only business, agreed upon at leaders' meeting in the morning, was transacted. The point was also made that in the Lok Sabha no "slip" of paper was sent to the Speaker by the BJP that it wanted to raise the issue of BJP president Rajnath Singh's arrest in West Bengal nor was any word sent to the Speaker.

Separately Mr. Mukherjee spoke to Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha L.K. Advani.

The Government's position was reiterated that it was prepared to discuss on the floor in Parliament any issue under any rule the Chair agreed upon, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Priyaranjan Dasmunsi said on Tuesday.

"Clear conscience"

The Speaker told reporters that his conscience was clear as he had allowed more say to the Opposition than perhaps many other Speakers before him. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh met Mr. Advani informally on Tuesday evening at a social function and the two reportedly spoke of the need to ensure smooth functioning of Parliament.

Contention

The point made by the BJP — the issue came up at its weekly parliamentary party meeting on Tuesday morning — was that there was no urgent Government business that was being held up. "There is no pending bill, the Government has no business, why was the BJP not allowed to raise the issue of the party president's arrest," party deputy leader V.K. Malhotra said.

The BJP's main objection to the Speaker's attitude was that "against all rules" he had allowed business to be transacted amid disorder, din and noise.

However, it is also a fact that the BJP lodged no protest when Mr. Shekhawat did the same in the Rajya Sabha in the monsoon session, parliamentary sources said.

It is also being pointed out that if issues related to law and order are routinely allowed to be raised in Parliament, there would be no other business transacted at all.

And finally, the rulebook clearly states the discretion to allow a member to raise an issue or not rests with the chair — the Speaker in the Lok Sabha and the Chairman in the Rajya Sabha.

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