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"By admitting his pro-Congress stand, Chatterjee has exposed the moral high ground he took that the Speaker is above party politics," CPI(M) General Secretary Prakash Karat said in a strongly worded reaction.
"His support to the Congress-led Government and his continuance as the Speaker are inter-connected," Karat, under whose leadership the CPI(M) had asked Chatterjee to quit the high office last year, said.
Karat's comment came a day after Chatterjee said he had sent a note to the CPI(M) asking them not to withdraw support but continue opposing the nuclear deal. Chatterjee was expelled from CPI(M) after he refused to step down following Left's withdrawal of support.
Asserting that his party does not agree with him on the issue, CPI Secretary D Raja asked "why should the Speaker comment on the stand taken by political parties? His role became a flash-point during the debate on the confidence vote.
His position has been untenable and contradictory, exposing his pro-Government politics," Raja said. Raja said the nuclear issue was the "last straw on the camel's back" as the Left had been opposing various macro-level policies of the UPA, including its neo-liberal economic policies.
"It is not secularism alone but also the issues of hunger, poverty and employment. That is why we don't agree with Chatterjee," the CPI leader said.
Reacting to Chatterjee's statement, Forward Bloc General Secretary Debabrata Biswas said it was his own point of view. "We had clearly stated that if the nuclear deal was signed, we will withdraw support.
"This was because the Congress-led UPA was going ahead with undermining our independent foreign policy by forging a strategic military alliance with the US, with our support. This could not continue," he said.
Biswas said "we still hold that the Left parties have taken the correct stand and that is why we are campaigning for scrapping the deal and the strategic alliance with the US."
RSP General Secretary T J Chandrachoodan said Chatterjee "wanted the government to survive at any cost. No one will take into account an individual's advice who is against the party line".
On his writing a note to the CPI(M) on the issue, Chandrachoodan said "as a Speaker, he should not have done that (advising CPI-M). In what capacity did he advise the CPI(M)?"
"In my opinion, as a Speaker, he should not have taken a stand, he should have maintained neutrality. He became partial by acting in favour of the government. He wanted the government to continue at any cost," Chandrachoodan said.
His senior RSP colleague Abani Roy said with the latest statement, Chatterjee has "made it clear that he is not independent and was leaning towards some other politics."
Chatterjee, in an interview, had said he had cautioned the Left parties against withdrawing support and told them, "don't withdraw because you are only encouraging certain forces in the country which we have all been fighting against," a clear reference to BJP and its allies.
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Somnath Da will not regret, like his other colleagues in CPI(M), having made any historical blunder!The individual has a right to grow intellectually, morally and spiritually in life.Somnath Da's case is a perfect one of this kind.It reminds me of that great Hindi novel by late Bhagawaticharan verma-the chitralekha, which starts with the questions:what is sin?What is punya?And the song from the film:yeh bhog bhi ek tapasya hai, tum tyag ke mare kya jaano..
The facilities,freebies,perks and the sycophancy our elected office beares in the Govt/Legislature get easily turn their heads,but the intensity with which these reacted on Somnath Chatterjee had always made me sad. I am purely uncommitted observer of events and believe in taking a pragmatic view about the behaviour of people. Somnath had shed his image of a comrade and critical parliamentarian soon after he was made the speaker. His conduct as speaker has never been above board and touched the lowest grade at the time of Vote of Confidence in July last. It now appears that the reports about him being offered High Commissioners post in London were not without basis. For loaves of office he dumped his party and friends who had engineered his elevation to the high post. Good that he has exposed himself. It may be another low-a ploy to get favours from the Manmohan Government.
In my opinion the whole of politics and politicians are surrounded by dirty and double standard only. In fact there is no politician worth his name as honest politician.All are only traitors and criminals in political uniform only. Their greed is to enjoy power otherwise why shoud there be so many parties?. In fact country's economy and prosperity is ruined by politicians seeing the wastage of money time and dispoutes in the present elections.B S GANESH, BANGALORE
BEFORE JUST ELECTION(W.B ) THIS SPEECH SIGNIFIES THAT THE HYPOCRITE CHARATERISTIC OF SOMNATH CHATTERJE WITH VESTED INTEREST.WHEN HE DENIED THE PARTY'S ORDER SAYING THAT A SPEAKER IS ABOVE POLITICS.NOW HE MAKING SUCH COMMENTS WANTS TO TAKE REVENGE THE PARTY,ON WHICH PLATFORM HE CAME TO LIMELIGHT FOR THE LAST 50 YRS. AND AT PRESENT WHATEVER HE GOT IN LIFE DUE TO THE PARTY BACKED HIM.WHAT A LOYALTY PAID.
The Communists have compounded their folly by first not adhering the advise of SomNath and then by attacking him.People miles junior to him in age , experience and ideology are trying to raise a finger a the honesty and integrity of the great veteran.These people are against the progress of the country and also feared that they will not be able to share the limelight if Congress insisted and got the Nuclear deal signed with the US.They do not realise that most of the deals happen only through the nod of the US.Their own masters in China have done these deals through the good offices of USA then why were they opposing the same in India. Did the communists oppose the nuclear deals of China?Was it on the instructions fron China? Why would China like competition from India?By expelling Som Nath from the party, they have shown the biggest disrespect to him and in turn to the country and national progress.A speaker is supposed to be apolitical, but should a debate ( vote)come to a stage where the vote of the speaker decides the fate, I would certainly expect the speaker to exercise his vote keeping the interest of the nation in view and not petty politics.I can only compement Som Nath da to have very brave and honest person and taken all the critism ( bullets)on his chest and seen a historic event through.
Media makes persons important. If we have newspapers and TV reporting incidents (more of positive news and very less negative news) with their balanced views, probably the society will also move in line. Artificial interest created in who says what (mostly against other similar people) is a waste of public time if you get what I and many like me think on that subject. This creates self importance in the mind of many - politicians, film stars, police men, gurus etc . .
Media makes persons important. If we have newspapers and TV reporting incidents (more of positive news and very less negative news) with their balanced views, probably the society will also move in line. Artificial interest created in who says what (mostly against other similar people) is a waste of public time if you get what I and many like me think on that subject. This creates self importance in the mind of many - politicians, film stars, police men, gurus etc . .
Somnath Chattergy has lost what ever respect he might have earned after exposing himself of being a congress supporter while in the Speaker's chair. Congress has cultivated and converted high offices like President of India, Lok Sabha Speaker, State Governers, CBI, Election Commission as their party extensions. If this party continues in the ruling combination of India, it will be most unfortunate for our democracy.
In my opinion the whole of politics and politicians are surrounded by dirty and double standard only. In fact there is no politician worth his name as honest politician.All are only traitors and criminals in political uniform only. Their greed is to enjoy power otherwise why shoud there be so many parties?. In fact country's economy and prosperity is ruined by politicians seeing the wastage of money time and dispoutes in the present elections.B S GANESH, BANGALORE
The anger of Left at Somnath is understandable. he defid the monolithic strucure of the Communists
One gets what onedeserves is the old saying!SWo the loud mouth got being named doubled talker nd a betrYer by his on party members what ad being said by the others.He had always been a hypocit from the days he wasa at Oxford where he enjoyed the best of life with his father's money!Proclaimed himself as a saint which he never was.Joined the Congress in the name of being independent and a neutral for easy life.He was never a ground root worker at any time.
speaker must be non partisan and neutral to all party , from his interview to tv channel he behaved like PRO of congress party. hope he will get a party post and get chance to do chamchagiri TO MADAM
It seems that CPI(M) is now ruled by some theoretical leaders from Southern India, mainly Kerala. People like Prakash Karat and D Raja must remember that it’s mainly continuous rule for more than 35 years in West Bengal that is credited for national recognition of that party (keeping in mind some isolated electoral success in Kerala). Majority of comrades from Bengal still support Somnath Chatterjee. In fact, Somnath is one of the best speakers India ever had. Even BJP and Congress will admit that (who cares about CPM in national politics!).
Somnathji's comment at this point of time doesnot sound appropriate.Right or wrong already enough discussions have been taken place.
People of this nation understands Chatterjee and also the present day leaders of Communist parties. He has shown his loyalty to the nation but the other leaders of Communist parties have revealed their original color to the whole country. Chatterjee Saab, we understand that yours is Pro-nation stand; Your sincerity and sacrifices are appreciated by the common people of this country. God will honor you.