'The President is the First Citizen of India. To me, he is the First Servant. The essence of politics is serving the people,' former Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee tells Rediff.com's Indrani Roy in an exclusive interview.
Shashwata Chatterjee on watching the football World Cup, spending days in the MP's Delhi home and the day his Dadu came to visit him in his college in Los Angeles.
The Communist Party of India-Marxist on Wednesday expelled Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee, who defied the party's order to resign from his post and presided over the two-day trust vote debate.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh sent one of his officials to the 20, Akbar Road residence of the Speaker on Friday morning to convey his birthday wishes to Chatterjee. The official presented a bouquet to him on behalf of Dr Singh.
'He always had a choice to resign and walk toward the sunset in protest.' 'Instead, he chose to be a mute witness to one of the most sordid chapters of India's parliamentary history when MPs were bought up like cattle to steer the nuclear deal through,' says M K Bhadrakumar.
'We are confident that you, with your vast experience, will conduct the proceedings in accordance with highest traditions of democracy,' Dr Manmohan Singh.
Tributes poured in as news came in of the death of the 10-time Lok Sabha MP who had joined the Communist Party of India-Marxist in 1968. Chatterjee was speaker of the Lok Sabha from 2004 to 2009.
Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee has been admitted to the Army Research and Referral Hospital in New Delhi following chest congestion.
Chatterjee is suffering from cold, cough and chest congestion.
89-year-old Chatterjee, who is suffering from a kidney-related ailment, was admitted to the hospital in a critical condition on Tuesday.
Somnath Chatterjee described Zero Hour in the Lok Sabha as 'torture hour' on Wednesday.
Disqualifying lawmakers of Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam for defying whip during the trust vote on July 22 will be the trickiest task for Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee.
Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee underwent a routine eye check in Hyderabad.
A 10-time Lok Sabha MP, Chatterjee was a central committee member of the Communist Party of India-Marxist, which he had joined in 1968. He was the Speaker of the Lok Sabha from 2004 to 2009.
Despite its sub-4m footprint, the Gravite offers impressive cabin space, three usable rows, and practical storage solutions making it ideal for budget-conscious families, says Somnath Chatterjee.
The Skoda Kushaq steps into the limelight with the latest facelift. Somnath Chatterjee checks it out.
The 89-year-old leader was expelled by the CPI-M after he refused to step down from his position as Speaker holding that the post is above any party politics.
Toyota's first standalone electric SUV, the Urban Cruiser Ebella, delivers strong range and performance with premium quality, but rear space and features could have been better, says Somnath Chatterjee.
'We have to find a way out of this confrontational politics.'
JSW MG Motor India will launch four new models this year, and is planning to invest between 3,000 crore-4,000 crore in the country over the next couple of years. The new models include a plug-in hybrid, an electric vehicle, the Majestor SUV and one additional model yet to be disclosed.
The new Renault Duster with hybrid engine has an edge over its rivals despite having no diesel engine while the styling also appeals with its butch looks, says Somnath Chatterjee.
'In India's competitive automotive market, staying relevant means continuously raising the bar.'
The new Seltos has grown in size with a length of 4460mm and that's 95mm longer!
India's diagnostics sector is accelerating capacity addition and geographic expansion, as large chains and regional players invest in new laboratories, integrated centres and dense sample collection networks to tap rising demand for preventive, advanced and precision testing.
The new Fortuner Neo Drive embraces a 48V mild-hybrid system for better refinement and modest efficiency, without diluting its rugged DNA.
VinFast's VF6 storms into India as the most affordable electric SUV above 4 metres, packing premium features, 468km range, and free charging till 2028 to disrupt the EV market, observes Somnath Chatterjee.
The Curvv hasn't set the sales charts on fire and Tata needs another product aimed straight at the Hyundai Creta, which is where the Sierra fits in.
However, with competition catching up, is the new Venue up to the challenge of fending off its rivals?
Vinfast sold 137 cars versus Tesla's 109 during the festive months of September and October, as BYD maintained a strong lead with over 1,100 cars sold, according to Fada data.
In terms of safety, the Victoris has scored 5 stars in both GNCAP and BNCAP tests and that's a first for Maruti, observes Somnath Chatterjee.
Automotive (auto) stocks have been among the best performers in the BSE 200 index in recent months. More than half of the top 15 gainers over the past one, two, and three months have come from the sector.
Amidst growing competition and global softening of EV demand, its India entry was due for a long time and that finally happened sometime back although yet again the approach was different.
Maruti takes a leap in terms of technology with features like ADAS, a 360-degree camera, ventilated seats, a powered tailgate, audio system with Dolby Atmos and much more.
'The cynic in me wonders whether the Speaker's defiance wasn't assisted by the knowledge that he cannot possibly be re-elected from Bolpur.'
Communist Party of India-Marxist politburo member Biman Bose on Monday rubbished Somnath Chatterjee's scathing comments on party general secretary Prakash Karat and criticised the former Lok Sabha Speaker for dragging Jyoti Basu's name into the controversy. "I feel that these are rubbish. If somebody wants to malign the party, that is in bad taste and is sad," said Bose, the state party secretary.
Action against Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee was decided well before the trust vote, but was not announced lest it should affect discussion over issues that prompted the party to withdraw support to the UPA Government, Kerala Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan said.
Within hours of Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee's expulsion from the CPI-M, several leaders from the ruling UPA coalition thronged his residence to express their solidarity with one expressing readiness to accept the veteran Marxist in his party.
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