Somnath favours strictest punishment, FIR against guilty MPs

Demanding "the strictest of punishments", including criminal proceedings against MPs who created unprecedented disturbances during the introduction of the Telangana bill, former Lok Sabha speaker Somnath Chatterjee Thursday said politics of enmity was taking precedence over policies.

"I think the strictest of punishments should be given, whichever party a member may be from. Expulsion is minimal action against them," Chatterjee said reacting to violent scenes in the Lok Sabha when a member from Andhra Pradesh used pepper spray.

The veteran leader, winner of the outstanding parliamentarian award in 1996, said criminal proceedings should be started against the Lok Sabha members who indulged in violence.

"There should be FIRs against these persons. I am ashamed as an Indian. What has happened is very unfortunate," said Chatterjee.

Describing the turn of events in the Lok Sabha during the day as "shocking", he wondered why things were deteriorating day by day in parliament.

"It seems politics is becoming devoid of policies. We only see politics of enmity, revenge," he said on a day 16 MPs were suspended for turning parliament into a house of shame.

"What is the alternative? Is it fascism, presidential system, or monarchy? I don't know. The worst thing is one party becomes happy if another gets dirty," added the octogenarian.