Ronen Sen responds to LS notice, apologises

India's envoy to the United States Ronen Sen has offered 'sincere and unqualified apology' in response to a privilege notice given by the Lok Sabha over his purported remarks equating parliamentarians to 'headless chickens,' sources said on Wednesday.

Sen was given the notice after members from most of the non-Congress parties slammed him for his reported 'derogatory' remark in connection with the controversy over Indo-US civilian nuclear deal.

The Ambassador has given 'clarifications' over the remarks attributed to him along with the apology, the sources said.

The rediff interview that sparked off the controversy

Many parliamentarians sought the Ambassador's immediate recall and his presentation before the Bar of the House so that he can be reprimanded.

The Ministry of External Affairs has also given its response to the notice, suggesting that the matter be treated as closed.

The MEA has said that the issue should not be pursued further as Sen has already apologised, sources said.

After the report appeared on rediff.com last Monday, the lawmakers were agitated and they disrupted proceedings in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.

In view of the members' concern, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said the remarks, if reported correctly, were 'unwarranted and unacceptable.'

Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee also said that he would take action as Parliament was not helpless.

Sen immediately issued a statement saying that his remark about 'headless chickens' was about media persons and not lawmakers.

'My comment about running round like headless chicken looking for a comment here or a comment there was a tactless observation on some of my media friends and most certainly not with reference to any honourable MP,' Sen said in a message, which was read out by Mukherjee in the Lok Sabha the same day.