PM unveils Somnath's memoir, lavishes praise

PM Manmohan Singh returned compliments to former Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee, after the expelled CPM veteran praised the PM graciously in his autobiography that was released by Singh in Delhi on Saturday, August 21.

Speaking at the release function, Singh observed that Chatterjee's "finest hour in his long and distinguished political career was as the Speaker of Lok Sabha," adding that Chatterjee had "risen above his party and his ideology to do what he believes is right".

Singh was referring to Chatterjee's decision not to step down from the chair when his party demanded that following the Left's decision to pull out of UPA-I over the Indo-US nuclear deal.

Contrary opinions should not be ignored if challenges have to be met in the process of national development, he said, while releasing "Keeping the Faith: Memoirs of a Parliamentarian," published by HarperCollins India. Maintaining that the country has shown the capacity and resilience to overcome trials and tribulations, the PM said "we have withstood serious challenges on the economic and security front and even emerged stronger afterwards".

Full report here Times of India