Privilege issue over stand on Kutch award

Pandemonium prevailed in the Lok Sabha to-day [May 9, New Delhi] for about 90 minutes over the admissibility of a privilege motion by Mr. Madhu Limaye, against the Minister of State for Exernal Affairs and the Under-Secretary, Mr. Ranganathan of the External Affairs Ministry. Mr. Limaye raised the issue after the Speaker Mr. N. Sanjiva Reddy, had given his ruling on the S.S.P. member’s earlier motion seeking the House’s disapproval of an affidavit filed by Mr. Ranganathan in the Delhi High Court on the Kutch issue. The Speaker had ruled that the motion be postponed until after the High Court gave its verdict in the matter. Raising the privilege issue, Mr. Limaye said the affidavit showed that the Government had shifted its stand on Kutch by stating that part of the Kutch was in adverse possession of India. This was at variance with the statements made by the Government on the floor of the House. At the end of the commotion, during which Congress members protested against Mr. Limaye’s raising the issue after the Speaker’s ruling, the Deputy Speaker Mr. R.K. Khadilkar, said that the Speaker would give his ruling on the privilege motion’s admissibility to-morrow [May 10]. The House had to be adjourned 20 minutes before the scheduled lunch break by the Speaker, Mr. Reddy, as Mr. Limaye insisted that the privilege issue be decided. The Speaker said that while nothing should preclude Parliament from discussing a matter of urgent public importance, the House should await the judgment of the Court which had heard arguments both for and against the affidavit.