EC played very, very dubious role on OoP, says Somnath

In an interaction with a select group of journalists, the Speaker sought to build bridges with the Opposition, saying he has “no issue with anyone except the smooth running of the House”. The veteran Parliamentarian, who has the distinction of a record 10 terms and 38 years as a member of the Lok Sabha, is bitter about the EC turning an investigator into the Office of Profit issue, allegedly involving him.

“Deliberately, the Speaker was targeted on the basis of false information… The EC played a very, very dubious role,” Chatterjee said. “The EC tried to investigate when the complainant said that he has no information in support of the charge. They became investigator. They wrote to West Bengal Government,” he said, adding that he was not given any opportunity to explain his position.

Chatterjee’s reference was to the complaint against him by a Trinamool Congress activist on the Office of Profit issue for his heading the Santiniketan Sriniketan Development Authority.

Chatterjee alleges that the EC had “no courage” to ask him for details. He says that he has the highest regard for Kalam, but insists that the former President was “not correctly advised”. “Today, because the Office of Profit law was passed… I am told that I am the Speaker because the law has exonerated me, is the biggest hoax and disservice played on Parliamentary democracy,” he says.

The septuagenarian leader regrets that “our partisanship has become so deep-rooted that we don’t mind affecting the Constitutional positions.” Observing that he has had “mixed” feelings of his stewardship of the Lok Sabha, Chatterjee says that he would be a happier person participating in the discussion and debates.

“I was happier facing the Chair than occupying it,” he says regretting the frequent disruptions and stalling of the House nowadays. “The last four years are not a glorious tenure for Parliament. I have no job satisfaction”.