LS panel lets Ronen Sen off the hook
Lok Sabha Privileges Committee on Friday exonerated Indian ambassador to the US, Ronen Sen, who had invited the ire of Parliamentarians for terming the critics of the Indo-US civil nuclear deal as “headless chicken’’.
By TNN |
New Delhi: While accepting his explanations and “unconditional apology”, the Lok Sabha Privileges Committee on Friday exonerated Indian ambassador to the US, Ronen Sen, who had invited the ire of Parliamentarians for terming the critics of the Indo-US civil nuclear deal as “headless chicken’’.
Appreciating Mr Sen’s “candid and forthright” deposition before the panel a fortnight ago and “in view of his unconditional apology”, the panel, according to sources, has decided to treat the issue “as closed”. The committee came to the conclusion that there was “no breach of privilege or contempt of the House”.
However, it did observe that for a seasoned diplomat like Mr Sen it was “lamentably naive” to give personal opinion on an important issue like the nuclear deal.
Accepting Mr Sen’s submission that his casual remark on the nuclear deal to a reporter was later wrongly presented as a formal interview, the committee said, “while it is not a sin, not even for a diplomat, to have personal opinion on important issues”, a seasoned diplomat that he is, Mr Sen should have avoided making such remarks in an unguarded manner given the importance of the issue.
The 15-member committee also accepted Mr Sen’s explanation that his “headless chicken” reference “was not meant for Parliamentarians or politicians” but for some media personnel.
The report of the committee, headed by Kishore Chandra Deo, is being forwarded to the Lok Speaker and is likely to be submitted to the Lower House next week for consideration.
In his deposition before the committee, Mr Sen had said he had no intention to cast aspersions on parliamentarians. He had also tendered an unconditional apology for having hurt the sentiments of parliamentarians through his “casual remarks” which led to disruption of both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha during the winter session. his remark to a news portal, which was published on August 20, created a furore.
Mr Sen is now awaiting the final report of the Rajya Sabha Privileges Committee which had also questioned him on the mater. He belongs to the 1966 batch of IFS officers.
Appreciating Mr Sen’s “candid and forthright” deposition before the panel a fortnight ago and “in view of his unconditional apology”, the panel, according to sources, has decided to treat the issue “as closed”. The committee came to the conclusion that there was “no breach of privilege or contempt of the House”.
However, it did observe that for a seasoned diplomat like Mr Sen it was “lamentably naive” to give personal opinion on an important issue like the nuclear deal.
Accepting Mr Sen’s submission that his casual remark on the nuclear deal to a reporter was later wrongly presented as a formal interview, the committee said, “while it is not a sin, not even for a diplomat, to have personal opinion on important issues”, a seasoned diplomat that he is, Mr Sen should have avoided making such remarks in an unguarded manner given the importance of the issue.
The 15-member committee also accepted Mr Sen’s explanation that his “headless chicken” reference “was not meant for Parliamentarians or politicians” but for some media personnel.
The report of the committee, headed by Kishore Chandra Deo, is being forwarded to the Lok Speaker and is likely to be submitted to the Lower House next week for consideration.
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In his deposition before the committee, Mr Sen had said he had no intention to cast aspersions on parliamentarians. He had also tendered an unconditional apology for having hurt the sentiments of parliamentarians through his “casual remarks” which led to disruption of both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha during the winter session. his remark to a news portal, which was published on August 20, created a furore.
Mr Sen is now awaiting the final report of the Rajya Sabha Privileges Committee which had also questioned him on the mater. He belongs to the 1966 batch of IFS officers.
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