Chatterjee was like elder brother: Mahajan

Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan on Monday said Somnath Chatterjee, a former Speaker who died earlier in the day, was like an elder brother who could guide her in running the House.

"We have suffered a great loss. Now, whom should I talk to... He could guide, for me at least, in running the Parliament," said Mahajan with tears in her eyes after paying her last respects to Chatterjee in his residence here.

She got emotional while remembering Chatterjee.

"When he was the Speaker, I was in the opposition. At that time, when we used to rise and shout slogans, from his Chair he used to look at me and say, no, no. You should not shout. He loved me like a younger sister."

Mahajan said she received the first phone call from Chatterjee after she became the Speaker.

--IANS

bdc/mr