The Bharatiya Janata Party today flayed Indian Ambassador to the United States Ronen Sen for his interview to rediff.com in which he has criticised parliamentarians opposing the Indo-US civil nuclear deal, and demanded his immediate recall.
"Today the ambassador has said in a statement that those who are opposed to the deal are headless chickens. We have demanded such an ambassador should be recalled," BJP leader Sushma Swaraj told reporters outside Parliament.
"He should be called before the bar of Parliament and be admonished," she added.
Earlier in the day, the National Democratic Alliance and Left parties stalled proceedings in both Houses of Parliament over Sen's remarks.
As soon as Parliament met for the day, members belonging to the NDA and the Left, waving copies of the newspaper which carried a report on the rediff interview, raised the issue during Question Hour.
Syed Amin Jafri adds from Hyderabad: Communist Party of India-Marxist General Secretary Prakash Karat too demanded the recall of Ambassador Ronen Sen for his controversial interview to rediff.com in which Sen likened opponents of the Indo-US nuclear deal to "headless chickens".
Karat arrived in Hyderabad on Tuesday afternoon to participate in a memorial programme at Mudigonda on Wednesday.
Mobbed by media-persons on his arrival at Begumpet airport, Karat quipped: "I have to say only one thing. We have an Ambassador in Washington who seems to be an ambassador for (US President George W) Bush and not an Ambassador for India. If (our) government has any self-respect, it should immediately recall the ambassador."
