PANAJI
The Congress Legislature Party (CLP) has once again raised concerns about how the Goa Legislative Assembly is functioning, saying the BJP-led government has reduced the sessions to just formalities.
The CLP, led by Yuri Alemao, met on Thursday evening ahead of the monsoon session of the Assembly, which will begin next month. At the meeting, the MLAs decided to raise several issues, including illegal land conversions, job scams, poor law and order, and attacks on Goa’s culture and identity.
Speaking to The Goan, Alemao said the CLP discussed its strategy for the session and listed the people-centric and Goa-centric issues that need to be raised. “We have been visiting constituencies to understand the problems faced by the people or various issues that they want us to bring to the notice of the government,” he said.
The monsoon session will start on July 21 and end on August 8, with 15 days of Assembly sittings. “These sessions that the Pramod Sawant government is holding are procedural formalities. This is a dangerous precedent for the State and democracy,” he said.
Alemao also pointed out that even though the opposition strongly objects to these short sessions during Business Advisory Committee meetings, their concerns are neither noted nor included in the meeting minutes.
The Leader of the Opposition said that a meeting of the united opposition will be held soon to discuss a joint strategy to corner the government.
Meanwhile, after the CLP meeting, Congress president Amit Patkar said the BJP government has betrayed the people at every step. “They may misuse power to crush dissent, but Congress will not stay silent. We will raise every issue that affects Goans loudly, clearly and fearlessly,” he said. “We are not in the Assembly for chairs, but there to fight for the people,” he added.
