Meira vows to be neutral, but parries queries on quitting Cong

New Delhi, Jun 3 (PTI) Meira Kumar Wednesday sidestepped
questions on whether she would resign from Congress in the
wake of her election as Lok Sabha (Lower House of Indian
Parliament) Speaker but made it clear that she will be a
"neutral person".

"I will be a neutral person" was her refrain to questions
on whether she would quit the party to maintain impartiality
in conducting proceedings of the House.

"Certainly the Speaker should be above board, impartial
and neutral. That is what is expected of a Speaker," she said
when repeatedly asked the question.

Neelam Sanjiva Reddy has been the only Lok Sabha Speaker
to resign from his party -- the Congress -- after being
elected to the post in March, 1967.

Incidentally, Kumar's predecessor Somnath Chatterjee, the
first Left leader to adorn the post, was expelled from CPI(M)
last year after he refused to follow the party directive to
quit Speakership after the Left withdrew support to the
Congress-led UPA government over Indo-US nuclear deal.

Kumar said she was starting the new assignment on a
"positive note" as she had been assured of "undiluted" support
by all political parties, groups and independent members.

"My name was proposed by all parties and after my
election, every party gave me undiluted assurance that they
will extend their fullest cooperation," she said adding, it
would be her endeavour to be impartial in her conduct, to give
opportunity to all parties and ensure healthy and meaningful
debate in the House.

When her views were sought on the long-pending Women's
Reservation Bill, Kumar said there was no consensus on the
measure which seeks to provide 33 per cent quota to women in
Lok Sabha and State Legislatures. She hoped that all parties
would work to evolve a consensus.

Referring to the election of the first woman President
Pratibha Patil and her own election, she said these were not
symbolic gestures but indicators of genuine intention of the
government to make women's position stronger in the country.

She said she personally had a strong desire that women
should be empowered.

Replying to a question on the demand for having at least
100 days of sittings, she said she would speak to all parties
to see how the number of sittings could be increased.

Welcoming the election of Kumar as Speaker, CPI(M) and
CPI members in the House made a strong demand for making 100
days of sittings mandatory.

"I am succeeding a very tall personality. The previous
Speaker was a man of great stature. He conducted the House in
the best possible manner under the prevailing circumstances,"
Kumar said when asked if she would act as a "headmaster" like
Chatterjee.

However, she added that all circumstances were not
similar and she would decide how to deal with a situation.

To questions on frequent disruptions and whether MPs'
salaries should be cut if they stall the proceedings, Kumar
said she would speak to political parties and ensure that the
set procedures and rules were followed.

Asked about the growing number of "tainted" members
entering the portals of power, she said that the Election
Commission had initiated reforms to prevent criminal elements
from entering politics. "The people should also reject such
candidates," she said.

Replying to a question whether a special package should
be given to Bihar which has no representation in the Union
Government, Kumar merely said Bihar needed development.

When queried about her personality and whether she gets
angry and whether she cries, pat came the reply "I don't cry.
But I get angry like any other person".

"My favourite colour is green. I am a green person," she
said adding, the book she was reading now was 'Abhigyan
Shakuntalam' by Kalidasa and the last movie she watched was
Oscar-winner 'Slumdog Millionaire'. PTI ARC