'Headmaster' Somnath bids goodbye to Lok Sabha

As he bade farewell to 14th LS as Speaker, Somnath Chatterjee today recalled the sweet and sour experiences during the last five years but maintained that there was nothing wrong in behaving like a "headmaster", an attitude which often attracted the ire of the members.

As he bade farewell to 14th Lok Sabha as Speaker, Somnath Chatterjee on Thursday recalled the sweet and sour experiences during the last five years but maintained that there was nothing wrong in behaving like a "headmaster", an attitude which often attracted the ire of the members.

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Chatterjee, who presided over the House which saw unprecedented lows, observed on the last day of the Lok Sabha that he was pained at various events that took place during his tenure and had tried to "cleanse" the House of erring members while upholding the dignity of the institution.

Usually very strict with the members while conducting proceedings, Chatterjee was, however, very jovial and flexible today, cracking jokes and allowing members to raise issues despite not giving prior notices.

Presiding over the House proceedings for the last time, he said he had a "mixed feeling" and "quiet satisfaction" even though he was pained that the frequent disruptions had "greatly eroded people's faith in the efficacy of this great institution".

Defending his sternness towards members which was often described as headmasterly, Chatterjee told reporters in the Parliament premises, "What is wrong with a headmaster...It is a good profession. Don't we respect headmasters...What is wrong...How is it derogatory?"