Let the House tell me, I will go: Somnath

Chatterjee said that a new culture of questioning the Speaker’s ruling had begun in the House. Offering to show the video clippings of the conduct of the members in the past three-four days, the Speaker said there was no period where the discussion on anti-Christian violence could have been allowed.

As CPI leader Gurudas Dasgupta intervened with the Rule Book, stating the provisions under which the discussion could have been allowed, Chatterjee responded by quoting a particular clause from the same Rule Book stating that the matter required the Speaker’s consent which he had not given.

With Dasgupta accusing the Speaker of using his authority to delay the discussion, a peeved Chatterjee finally said, “You are deliberately questioning my authority and decision. If it serves your political intentions, I don’t mind. For days, you have been questioning the Chair. Let the House tell me. I will go here and now. I will not sit in this Chair.”

Asking the MPs not to “insult the Chair” as it meant insulting the House, Chatterjee then said that the Deputy Speaker may preside over the proceedings. “You have no sense of duty. It has been going on for four days. With folded hands, I have been saying please, I will allow everything. But every time you have been levelling allegations against me,” Chatterjee said.

As RJD chief and Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav got up to express solidarity with the Speaker, CPI(M)’s Mohd Salim said to Yadav, “Yeh rail gaadi nahin hai, sadan hai. Unko chalane do (This is not a train. This is the House. Let him run it.)