PANAJI:
High drama unfolded in the Goa Assembly on Monday as Opposition members were marshalled out of the House after disrupting the Governor Pusapati Ashok Gajapathi Raju’s address, demanding justice for the victims of the Birch nightclub fire tragedy.
As Governor began his address to the House, Opposition legislators displayed placards, raised slogans of “shame, shame” and demanded that the address begin with a reference to the Arpora fire, in which 25 people lost their lives.
Leader of the Opposition Yuri Alemao urged the Governor to flag the tragedy and fix accountability, calling it an “official murder” involving the government, officials and ministers.
Alemao questioned whether the Chief Minister, Home Minister and Panchayat Minister would take responsibility and resign over the incident. Despite repeated appeals, the Governor proceeded with his address, leading to continued sloganeering by the Opposition benches.
With proceedings repeatedly disrupted, the Speaker ordered marshals to remove the protesting Opposition members from the House, following which they were marshalled out, bringing the session to a brief halt.
