The monsoon session of the Legislative Assembly got off to an unconvincing start with the House being abruptly adjourned wiping off a major part of the crucial Question Hour session. Despite the Opposition having minuscule numbers, there are lofty expectations from common citizens given the number of issues at hand.
An Assembly session is where the Opposition takes account of the government’s decisions and policies which is why it is expected to raise questions that it deems fit within the hallowed precincts of the House.
On Monday, when the session opened, Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai created a flutter by threatening to raise a breach of privilege motion against “a senior government official” for addressing listed questions of the Assembly in the media and went on to point at the book of law. Barely had that moment died down, Vasco MLA Daji Salkar rose to his feet and moved a breach of privilege motion against Quepem MLA Altone D’Costa for his recent utterances against the Speaker on reservations to Scheduled Tribes.
In an unsavoury turn of events, the ruling benches headed by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant pressed for an apology from Altone on the floor of the House, while the Opposition struck a defiant chord. And what followed was utter chaos. Interestingly, the Speaker promptly ordered for an adjournment with the clock ticking past 12.30 pm wiping off a major part of the Question Hour.
The Question Hour was important because there were crucial questions listed for discussion. There were questions on the all-important National Education Policy, an issue that the government has not been convincing so far, and there were questions on the diversion of flights from Dabolim Airport, the status of Manohar International Airport and the power tariff hike. An adjournment meant that an opportunity was lost to seek answers.
The Opposition, no doubt was pushed against a wall and the early offensive may have caught them on the wrong foot. But the uproar was unnecessary. The Leader of the Opposition should have asked the treasury benches to allow the motion to follow its course. The matter would have ended there with the motion being sent to the Privilege Committee which would determine the facts of the case and make suitable recommendations in its report.
Going by the turn of events in the Assembly, it appears to be a well-orchestrated move by the ruling benches to evade questions on listed issues, especially NEP, and they succeeded in doing that. But what was the opposition doing, and why did they walk into that trap? With the confidence of the members sky-high prior to the session, Monday’s turn of events was a complete anti-climax giving one the impression that the ruling benches were given a free run.
People need legislators to take up their issues, offer constructive criticism and suggest course correction. Given the scale of business of the House, there is no scope for ’sideshows’ and rhetorical theatrics. There are lakhs of people watching and holding some confidence that legislators would seek accountability. Playing to the tunes of the ruling benches is the last thing anyone would want. Hope better sense prevails in the remainder of the session.
