New Delhi, Feb 20 : Former Rajya Sabha Vice-Chairman Najma Heptullah on Friday opposed Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee's views on agitating MPs, saying that the Speaker's role is like a referee in a match.

"The Speaker is like a referee to ensure that the match goes on smoothly," Heptullah said.

Addressing mediapersons here, Heptullah said that agitations are part and parcel of democracy and an MP is entitled to agitate.

She recalled her experience of 17 years as vice-chairman of the House and said she had faced worse situations than what happened yesterday, but never said what Chatterjee had said.

Chatterjee said on Thursday that MPs did not deserve even one paisa of public money for their kind of protests in the House. (ANI)