NEW DELHI, August 14: Information and Broadcasting Minister Jaipal Reddy, who was facing a breach of privilege motion, was let off the hook today when the motion was ``closed'' by Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairperson Najma Heptullah after he gave a written explanation.

Announcing this in the Rajya Sabha, Heptullah said that the Minister had sent her a letter saying that he had not made any derogatory remarks about the House or its presiding officers. ``I have held the House and the Chair in high esteem,'' Reddy wrote. ``In view of the letter I am treating the matter as closed,'' Heptullah stated.

A privilege notice against Reddy had been moved and admitted on Monday for allegedly casting aspersions on the Chair at an informal press briefing where he blamed Heptullah for the defeat of a Bill in the House.

Meanwhile, men are to be targeted in the national health policy which is to be revised soon, Prime Minister I K Gujral announced in the Rajya Sabha today during question hour.

Responding to a supplementary asked by Bharti Ray (Left), Gujral said the new policy would aim at convincing men to practice family planning methods.Earlier, replying to a question, Minister of State for Health Renuka Chowdhury said she had held dicussions with representatives of political parties on the need for a legislation to make the two-child norm mandatory for contesting elections to legislatures and Parliament.

Efforts are being made to make the Bill more comprehensive by including government employees under its purview, she said.

Chowdhury said a Bill to this effect was introduced in Parliament in 1992. It came up for discussion on August 12, 1996 and political parties were asked to make suggestions on the proposed measure.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.