Date:12/08/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/08/12/stories/2008081260660300.htm

New Delhi

Somnath ignites democratic values among students

Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI: It was an unexpected venue but still fulfilled its purpose. Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee himself came to Gandhi Smriti and Darshan Samiti here on Monday after children from 10 schools of Delhi who were to undertake a Gandhian march towards Parliament to present “five hundred pledges” to express their anguish at the recent “cash for votes” controversy were denied permission by the Delhi police.

As soon as the Speaker alighted from his car, he was greeted by a group of students from Class X to Class XII holding the national tri-colour and another group of children holding replicas of the 144 columns of Parliament.

Martyrs’ Column

Clad in the traditional dhoti and kurta, Mr. Chatterjee was escorted to the “Balidan Sthal” (Martyrs’ Column) -- the venue for the pledge taking.

The programme began with the students at the hallowed ground of Gandhi’s martyrdom rendering civil rights movement song “Hum Honge Kamyaab” as the traditional lamp was lit by the students.

Enthusiastic pledges

The Speaker spent an hour with the students, witnessing their pledges in Hindi and English and addressed them. Seeing the enthusiastic pledges undertaken by the students, Mr. Chatterjee said he was deeply touched by this intervention of the students and felt inspired to work more towards strengthening Parliamentary democracy in the country.

After the photo opportunity with the students, the Speaker was inundated with questions about the July 22 episode. “When you get elected to Parliament, I trust you will uphold the values of democracy,” came the reply.