The Hindu : Privilege notice against Fernandes

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, May 07, 2002

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Privilege notice against Fernandes

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI MAY 6. The Defence Minister, George Fernandes' travails over his remarks about women continue. A privilege notice was moved against him in the Lok Sabha today by A.K. Premajan (CPI-M), for his alleged remarks against women during his intervention on the Opposition-sponsored censure motion on Gujarat.

The issue was raised during zero hour by Ms. Premajan, who sought to draw the attention of the Speaker as well as that of the House to Mr. Fernandes' remarks. She alleged that "the Minister had used the floor of the Lok Sabha to say all kinds of things against women''. She said no right-thinking person could tolerate what had been said. She received strong support from the rest of the Opposition with Priya Ranjan Dasmunshi and Shyama Sinha (Cong.) and Somnath Chatterjee (CPI-M) strongly pleading for admitting the notice, while Buta Singh wanted it to be sent to the privileges committee.

The Deputy Speaker, P.M. Sayeed, assured the agitated members that he had indeed received the notice and would proceed on it according to the rules. "Ms Premajan has given a detailed letter. I will go through it." Mr. Chatterjee said the issue was a "cut and dry case" as "everything was part of the record".

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