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Rise above partisan lines, says Meira

NEW DELHI: Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar on Wednesday promised to be “entirely impartial” and give opportunities to every Member of Parliament to have his or her say. She asked political parties to rise above partisan considerations when decisions need to be taken on important national issues.

Ms. Kumar was addressing a press conference soon after her unanimous election.

The Speaker said she was a passionate votary of women empowerment and that the election of the first woman President of the Republic of India two years ago and now the first woman Speaker were not just symbolic gestures but indicated a “genuine intention to make women stronger.”

To a query on the Women’s Reservation Bill, which the previous Lok Sabhas had failed to pass, she said since that would have to be a Constitution amendment bill “we need consensus.”

Asked whether she would make an effort to bring about this consensus, she said she had a strong desire to see women empowered and it would be for party leaders to try and work out a consensus.

Noting that she was starting on a “very positive note” with full cooperation offered by all sections of the House, she hoped the 15th Lok Sabha would not waste time but would address and debate issues and allow members to raise people’s concerns.

She said this in response to a question whether salaries of members who stall the proceedings should be cut.

While expressing concern over disruptions in the House, she said she would try to talk to all sections to ensure that a meaningful debate and dialogue took place on all issues of public interest and no time was wasted.

Asked about a “special package for Bihar” as demanded by some MPs from the State to which she belongs, Ms. Kumar said rather diplomatically that Bihar needed development.

The Speaker complimented her predecessor Somnath Chatterjee as a “very tall personality,” who had “conducted the House in the best possible manner given the circumstances.” As for her own style, she said all situations were different and she would decide how to handle the House when a particular situation arose.

Asked whether she gets angry and resorts to crying, she said: “No, I do not cry. But, like all other people, I do get angry sometimes.” Her favourite colour was green as “I am a green person.” Her current reading is a book that she repeatedly goes back to — the Kalidas classic Abhigyan Shakuntalam.

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