By IANS
New Delhi : Angry MPs paralysed parliament Wednesday morning for the second day, vociferously demanding the recall of ambassador Ronen Sen from Washington for his attack on critics of the India-US civilian nuclear deal.
While both houses resumed their normal functioning in the post-lunch session, considerable time was lost early on as Left MPs joined those from the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and other parties to demand action against Sen, who is considered one of the architects of the path-breaking nuclear agreement.
The protests led to the Rajya Sabha getting adjourned twice, while the Lok Sabha was adjourned once.
Although Parliamentary Affairs Minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi assured the Lok Sabha that the government would not compromise on “protecting the dignity of parliament”, he was silent on the demand for Sen’s recall.
“No one had the right to cast aspersions on the media or on MPs,” he said, brushing aside a cornered Sen’s explanation that his criticism of the critics of the nuclear deal were part of an “off the record” conversation with Aziz Haniffa of Rediff India Abroad.
“No ambassador can make off the cuff remarks from the official chair,” Dasmunsi said.
At the same time, he took a swipe at the opposition.
“The house should be united when it comes to an issue that affects the prestige of MPs. But unfortunately the opposition did not bother to apologise when one of their leaders made a highly objectionable statement against our prime minister,” the minister contended.
The reference was to National Democratic Alliance (NDA) convenor George Fernandes’ statement that had Manmohan Singh been in China, he would have been shot for negotiating the civil nuclear pact.
Opposition MPs, however, simply refused to spare Sen, notwithstanding his qualified apology and an apology also rendered by External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee after Sen’s “headless chicken” remark in the interview were taken as a disparaging allusion to MPs criticising the deal.
After the furore in parliament, Sen said he was not attacking the MPs, but had used the expression to describe “friends” in the media who he said were going around like “headless chicken” getting comments on the pact even after it had been sealed at the highest level.
“We want to know what action you are going to take against him,” Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) deputy leader in the Lok Sabha V.K. Malhotra asked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who was present in the house.
Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) member Prasanta Chatterjee was even harsher in the Rajya Sabha.
“We demand that Sen be called back, summoned to this house, reprimanded and dismissed,” Chatterjee stated.
“He (Sen) is no friend of the Indian parliament. He is a friend of (US President) George Bush. Even Pranab Mukherjee has said that such remarks are unacceptable,” he added.
Rajya Sabha member D. Raja of the Communist Party of India refused to buy Sen’s explanation.
“This apology is not enough. It is no use blaming the media. The ambassador represents the nation,” he maintained.
“The situation is so untenable. He cannot continue as ambassador. I do not know why the government is reluctant to say that it is willing to take some action including his recall.”
As the Lok Sabha met at 11 a.m., BJP and Samajwadi Party MPs along with the Left members were on their feet, demanding Sen’s recall. The BJP-led NDA sans the Shiv Sena then walked out of the house.
Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee appeared to be disgusted.
“There are deliberate attempts by members day in and day out to disrupt the proceedings. It seems they are not desirous of running the house,” Chatterjee said before he adjourned the proceedings till 12 noon.
When the house reassembled, MPs from the BJP, the Samajwadi Party and the Left repeated their demand for recalling Sen, even as Chatterjee called for papers to be tabled.
“Sen has castigated MPs who oppose the (nuclear) deal. This is outrageous,” thundered CPI leader Gurudas Dasgupta.
“Action should be taken against him (Sen),” added Janata Dal-United’s Prabhunath Singh.
The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), a key ally of the ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA), also demanded the ambassador’s recall.
Kerala Congress-Joseph member P.C. Thomas contended that Sen was in the wrong even if his comments related only to journalists.
Chatterjee repeatedly sought to assuage the feelings of the agitated members.
“There is no question of any exoneration. Parliament is powerful enough to take action but we have to act according to procedures,” he maintained.