The embarrassment for the Manmohan Singh government on the Ronen Sen controversy refused to show signs of abating on Wednesday with UPA partners joining the opposition demand for his recall in the light of his reported “derogatory” remarks against MPs and the media in a newsportal interview.
Despite the government agreeing with the sentiments of the MPs by saying that no one has the right to cast aspersions on the parliament, both the Houses on Wednesday witnessed adjournments on the issue. In Lok Sabha, Speaker Somnath Chatterjee, however, said, he had received privilege notices against Sen and assured the House that “action will be taken”. “Let us wait, the Indian Parliament is not powerless. I assure you that action will be taken. … Let procedures be followed. We have to follow principles of natural justice,” he said.
There looked a total consensus on the issue among the members cutting across the party lines. It was for the first time in the recent past that both BJP-led Opposition and Left parties joined hands on any issue on the floor of the House.
Demanding Sen’s recall, deputy leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha VK Malhotra, who has moved a privilege motion, said, “Sen’s remarks make us doubt his position in the US, as I felt that whether he was India’s envoy or that of the US.”
“Why has the government not taken any action against him as yet? He should be recalled immediately,” Malhotra demanded.
Echoing Malhotra’s sentiment, Rupchand Pal of CPI(M) said Sen was “not serving India’s interests”.
Opening the attack on Sen from among the UPA partners, Devendra Prasad Yadav of RJD attributed that the remarks were “not only irresponsible, but also beyond his jurisdiction as an ambassador”.
Gurudas Dasgupta (CPI) said the envoy’s comments that the nuclear deal could not be re-negotiated showed he had started the debate on behalf of the government.
Moreover, responding to the sentiments expressed by the members, minister for parliamentary affairs P R Dasmunsi said while external affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee had yesterday described Sen’s remarks as “unwarranted and unacceptable”, no one had the right to cast aspersions on Parliament and even on the media.
Asserting that government was committed to defend the dignity of the House, he said the demand for Sen’s recall would be conveyed to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the Mukherjee.
Using the occasion to have a dig at the BJ-led Opposition alliance, Dasmunshi criticised NDA for its failure to condemn former defence minister George Fernandes’ remarks against the Prime Minister in the context of the Indo-US nuclear deal. But this led to a walkout by NDA members barring the Shiv Sena. Dasmunsi, however, did not name the NDA Convenor for the remarks.
