Within an hour of taking over as Speaker, Meira Kumar today issued her first directive in Lok Sabha asking the House reporters to expunge certain exchanges between JD(U) chief Sharad Yadav and RJD supremo Lalu Prasad.

When Prasad was speaking to congratulate Kumar, he made certain statements which were objected to by Yadav.

The verbal exchange between them went on for a few minutes when the Speaker asked the Lok Sabha reporters not to record it.

Earlier, while congratulating Kumar, the RJD chief recalled the role of her predecessor Somnath Chatterjee, saying he had shown how a Speaker should be above parties.

Prasad said when the issue of nuclear deal came, Chatterjee took a stand "despite the Left parties showing red eyes and expressing anger. He did not budge. Similar situation may arise before you and you will have to take decisions".

In a tongue-in-cheek remark, the RJD leader started his speech pointing out that all leaders have promised the new Speaker that they would cooperate in smooth running of the House.

"But I have my doubts whether these promises will be kept," Prasad said, evoking laughter in the House.

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Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav wanted the Speaker to protect the interests of the Opposition in Parliament, while BJD's Arjun Charan Sethi showered praises for her contribution to the cause of the downtrodden.

Congratulating Kumar, DMK's T R Baalu said his party chief M Karunanidhi, who celebrated his 86th birthday today, was associated with her father Babu Jagjivan Ram.

AIADMK's M Thambidurai expressed hope that the women's reservation bill would be adopted under Kumar's Speakership.

NCP supremo Sharad Pawar complimented Kumar for occupying "the highest position" in Indian democracy, while JD(U) chief Sharad Yadav lamented that as the House was "growing in age, the quality of debate is deteriorating."

Yadav wanted Kumar to take all steps to promote healthy and fruitful debate, throwing up issues connected with the people's lives.TDP's Nageswara Rao said his party chief N Chandrababu Naidu was the first leader to get a Dalit elected as both Lok Sabha and Andhra Pradesh Assembly Speakers.

"In fact, it is a happy moment that the newly-elected Speaker is both a Dalit and woman," he added.

CPI's Gurudas Dasgupta, congratulating the government for the "laudable" move, said India was creating history by having women as President and Lok Sabha Speaker.

"It is a truthful recognition of women playing an important role in the social life of India," he said.

Extending his party's full cooperation in the smooth conduct of business in the House, Dasgupta expressed the hope that there would be no hold-ups or disruptions in the House this time around and that the debates would be fruitful in resolving the problems of the country.

He said the right to dissent has to be respected and protected and sought more time for the Opposition parties, as also longer sessions of the Lok Sabha extending to 100 days and above.

RJD chief Lalu Prasad, extending his party MPs' fullest cooperation, pointed out that all leaders have promised the new Speaker that they would cooperate in smooth running of the House.

"But I have my doubts whether these promises will be kept," Prasad said.

Referring to former Speaker Somnath Chatterjee, Prasad urged Kumar to rise above party affiliations.

He said when the issue of nuclear deal came, Chatterjee took a stand "despite the Left parties showing red eyes and expressing anger. He did not budge. Similar situation may arise before you and you will have to take decisions."

In a veiled dig at the Congress, he said the victory in the Lok Sabha polls had come as a surprise even to the party.

He said fortunes could change, as it had for the BJP after it won only two seats in 1984.

Prasad also sought more time for smaller parties in the Lok Sabha debates.

JD(S) chief H D Deve Gowda called upon all parties to maintain the "decorum and decency" of the House while participating in debates.

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