ASSEMBLY POLL '98
COMMENTARY
SPECIALS
INTERVIEWS
CAPITAL BUZZ
REDIFF POLL
DEAR REDIFF
THE STATES
YEH HAI INDIA!
ELECTIONS '98
ARCHIVES

Speaker regrets behaviour of MPs

Lok Sabha speaker G M C Balayogi today regretted that certain members continued to interrupt the proceedings of the House, disregarding repeated observations from the chair.

Talking to newspersons at the conclusion of the winter session, Balayogi said he was '' not happy'' over certain incidents that took place in the House during this session. These included manhandling of two Bharatiya Janata Party lady members by some Rashtriya Loktantrik Morcha members in the well of the House yesterday and a similar incident last week involving Trinamul Congress leader Mamata Banerjee and an opposition member.

Both incidents had occurred when the opposition members, mainly from the RLM rushed into the well and tried to snatch papers from the ministers.

Balayogi said he and Deputy Speaker P M Sayeed tried to run the House in an orderly manner. But some members continued to interrupt the proceedings notwithstanding the admonition by several leaders of the House.

The speaker said taking action against erring members would not be the final solution. In a democratic set-up we have to settle issues peacefully, he observed. He said that if the members "cross their limits" the chair would consider initiating action against them.

"Some members are violating all rules. But later they are apologising also," he said as an afterthought.

He said unless there was full co-operation from the government and the opposition, the presiding officers were helpless.

Sayeed said he had himself appealed on four occasions to the RLM members to co-operate with the chair to conduct the House in an orderly manner. But his appeals also had no effect.

Both presiding officers were unanimous that panel chairmen should not indulge in unruly acts like rushing into the well of the House and raising slogans.

Tell us what you think of this report