The Hindu : New Delhi News : House unites to condemn critical news item

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Friday, Dec 28, 2007
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House unites to condemn critical news item

Staff Reporter

Newspaper directed by Assembly to submit its arguments

Members from both the ruling Congress and the Opposition supported the motion
The Speaker assures the members that “strict action would be taken”

NEW DELHI: Delhi Assembly Speaker Chaudhary Prem Singh on Thursday accepted a breach of privilege and contempt of House notice moved by MLA Jile Singh Chauhan on a report that had appeared in the morning edition of a leading national daily here.

After members from both the ruling Congress and the Opposition supported the motion on the ground that the report had sought to lower the dignity of the House, the Speaker assured the members that “strict action would be taken”.

The Speaker later issued summons to the newspaper directing two of its employees to submit their arguments in the matter before him on Friday.

He said he was of the view that in this matter the basic spirit of the Constitution and legislative institutions had been insulted.

In view of the sentiment of the House and rules, the Speaker said he was taking the matter seriously. He said the Fourth Estate should know its responsibility.

Chaudhary Prem Singh said he was proud of all the 70 MLAs who constituted the House. As such, he declared that a committee of the House would take action on the matter in keeping with the rules of the Legislative Assembly and the Constitutional provisions.

Earlier, all MLAs had denounced the report saying that it amounted to breach of privilege of the MLAs and was in contempt of the House.

Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit said she was surprised that the newspaper had given its viewpoint as a news item. Claiming that all the MLAs of the House had fulfilled their responsibilities, she described the news item as scandalous.

“It is not bearable and we support action in the matter,” she said, adding that it had lowered the dignity of a House that was considered one of the best.

Ms. Dikshit also called for a warning to go out of the House so that the media “stays within limits and does not cross the line”.

Motion

While the motion was supported by all MLAs, BJP chief whip Sahab Singh Chauhan raised the issue of understanding the spirit behind the newspaper report. He also argued that copies of the report had not been circulated properly among the MLAs before the matter was taken up. But in the din that followed, he was shouted down by not only the Congress MLAs but also his own party legislators.

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