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124 MPs submit note against Prasar Bharati

A delegation of Opposition members of the Rajya Sabha, led by former finance minister Manmohan Singh, yesterday called on President K R Narayanan and submitted a letter expressing fear that the government may issue an ordinance on Prasar Bharati.

After a 30-minute-long meeting with the President, Singh told the media that the delegation also handed over a copy of the memorandum to the prime minister signed by 124 members.

Singh said issuing of an ordinance on Prasar Bharati bypassing the Rajya Sabha on the issue, would be ''morally and ethically a doubtful procedure''.

The Prasar Bharati Bill was passed by the Lok Sabha on Friday last and the government had three days time to introduce it in the Rajya Sabha which it did not.

The Opposition had expressed its willingness to sit late to consider the Bill, but the government decided against extending the session. Issuing an ordinance would amount to subverting the normal constitutional procedure, Singh added.

UNI