Speaker viewing privilege notice against PM

LS Speaker Somnath Chatterjee said he has received a privilege notice against PM Manmohan Singh in connection with the Indo-US civil nuclear deal and it was under his consideration.

Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee on Monday said he has received a privilege notice against Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in connection with the Indo-US civil nuclear deal and it was under his consideration.

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Trying to pacify the agitated Left members who wanted to raise the issue of alleged breach of privilege against Singh, Chatterjee said, "I have received the notice and it is under my consideration."

Raising the issue, Basudeb Acharia of CPI(M) alleged the Prime Minister failed to fulfil his promise to the House made in July that he would come back to Parliament before operationalising the Indo-US civil nuclear deal.

The government went to the US without informing the House, Acharia said adding, "the Prime Minister owes an explanation to the House. This is a breach of privilege."

Several other Left MPs also joined Acharia, but were pacified once the Speaker assured them that the notice against Singh was under his consideration.

"After (US Secretary of State) Condoleeza Rice and External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee signed the (123) Agreement, it has been operationalised."

"Hence the Prime Minister has violated his own assurances to Parliament by not coming to the House before the deal was operationalised," the CPI(M) leader said alleging that Singh has "clearly misled the House."