Is the SPEAKER above party politics? This writer had the unique opportunity of watching parliamentary proceedings from the visitor's gallery when Jawarhalal Nehru was the Prime Minister. If my memory doesn't fail me, Ananthasayanam Iyyengar was the SPEAKER. Giants like Acharya Kripalani were in the opposition. Words fail me to describe the decorum, our lower house had. Nehruji would bow his head down to the SPEAKER whenever he entered the house or left it. Every member had a chance to win his opinion. The treasury benches would listen to the Opposition in rapt attention, ministers would make a note of the several points raised and reply to them with an element of decent patience. Well, there is no purpose remembering those golden days of true democracy.

Is the SPEAKER above party politics?. If he were so, any of our former speakers like Mr.Shivraj Patil would not have become union minister. Many of them like Mr. Sangma would not have been running their own political outfits.

If I m not mistaken, E M S Namboodiripad. once said that if that his heart is scratched, down beneath you might find a brahmin. Very true.

Are we tend to believe that the honourable Mr. Somanth Chattejee has diversed himself totally from his Marxian thoughts and class struggles? Would he have been a member of parliament but for the CPI(M) ? would he have become the speaker had he not been sponsored by his party? And, he is an honourable man!