Perturbed over frequent disorderly scenes in the Lok Sabha, Speaker Somnath Chatterjee on Wednesday said he was 'ashamed' to be presiding over the House and pulled up political parties for reneging on their promise to ensure smooth functioning.
"I will not preside over the disintegration of this House. This kind of tamasha cannot go on," he lamented, amid heated exchanges between members from ruling and opposition benches.
"I am ashamed to be the Speaker of this House," Chatterjee burst out after his pleas to protesting members to stop interrupting went unheeded.
Noisy scenes were witnessed as leader of the opposition, L K Advani, demanded that Sonia Gandhi should resign as chairperson of the National Advisory Council in the wake of the Volcker controversy.
The Speaker repeatedly asked members from all sides to behave in a business-like manner. As the din continued, in an obvious reference to leaders of political parties, he reminded them, "You make a promise in the Speaker's chamber and do exactly the opposite in the House."
Towards the end of the discussion on the issue, he quipped, "Tum log kabhi nahin sudhroge (you will never improve)."
Complete coverage: The Volcker report