Somnath gets pat from Kalam

Under frequent attacks from the BJP-led Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Speaker Somnath Chatterjee has found words of encouragement from President APJ Abdul Kalam. In a letter to the Speaker, the President has appreciated Chatterjee’s efforts in ensuring effective functioning of the House and hoped these would prove successful.

“This has given me great solace and strength,” the Speaker told reporters on Friday at the end of the month-long Monsoon Session. He, however, refrained from commenting on a letter by NDA chairperson Atal Behari Vajpayee in which he had cast aspersions against him. “The letter had caused great anguish and pain. I did not comment on it then and I do not propose to do it now as I highly respect the author of the letter and hold him in high esteem,” the Speaker said at a banquet hosted by the President where he was seated next to him.

“The President made certain observations,” Chatterjee said, adding he had sent copies of Kalam’s letter to leaders of political parties and three cassettes of the proceedings of the House. Asked whether stern action was needed to avert incidents like Thursday when MPs nearly came to blows, he said their attitude must change.