The Hindu : Speaker calls meet to resolve impasse

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Aug 02, 2002

Front Page

Front Page

Speaker calls meet to resolve impasse

By Neena Vyas

NEW DELHI AUG. 1. The Lok Sabha Speaker, Manohar Joshi, has called a meeting of some Opposition and Government leaders tomorrow to find a way out of the parliamentary impasse created by the "non-recognition'' of George Fernandes as Defence Minister after he was re-inducted into the Cabinet about a year ago.

The Government stand has been that the appointment of a Minister is the "prerogative of the Prime Minister'', which cannot not be questioned by the Opposition. However, the Opposition view — articulated by the Congress and the Left parties — is that the Prime Minister had asked Mr. Fernandes to resign because of the Tehelka allegations. Moreover, Mr. Fernandes himself had publicly stated that he was resigning, as he would not like to hold the office until he was cleared of charges. Hence, his re-induction was totally inappropriate when the allegations against him and the Defence Ministry were still being probed by the Venkataswami Commission.

The matter reportedly came up at the meeting of the Business Advisory Committee of the Lok Sabha this evening, where the Speaker made it known that he would be calling a meeting tomorrow as he was anxious to resolve the issue which had been resulting in disruptions in Parliament for almost a year.

It was felt that the Opposition parties should also discuss among themselves what exactly they wanted. Some months ago, they had demanded a discussion on the Tehelka issue, during the course of which the Prime Minister could have made a simple statement that it was his prerogative to appoint anyone he thought fit as Minister. But the Government did not agree as it felt that the Prime Minister need not and should not say even that much.

For several sessions now, the Opposition members list questions to be put to the Defence Minister and, then, simply refuse to ask them. On several occasions, they have not allowed Mr. Fernandes to speak, and have staged walkouts.

The Business Advisory Committee decided that the Lok Sabha should discuss national security issues on August 8.

But it was also felt that the `no-recognition-for-Fernandes' issue should be resolved to enable Mr. Fernandes to participate in the discussion without yet another uproar in the House. A discussion on national security, it was felt, would not make sense without his participation. Reports suggest that the Opposition was also willing to find an honourable way out.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Front Page

Stories in this Section

Advani rejects role for international observers in J&K

Speaker calls meet to resolve impasse

Gold for Satheesha Rai

Kashmir a flashpoint: Musharraf

Two policemen killed in Jammu

Nedumaran held under POTA

Qazi, new Pak. envoy to U.S.

Bihar strike: 50 injured

He's innocent: Sunil Dutt

One held for Shivani murder