the goan I network
PANAJI
Goa Pradesh Congress Committee president, Girish Chodankar on Monday wrote to Speaker Pramod Sawant to desist from hoisting the national flag at the state function to celebrate Independence Day on Wednesday.
“I call upon you to withdraw your consent for hoisting the national flag and direct the executive to select the senior-most minister to uphold values and principles of parliamentary democracy,” Chodankar said in his letter to the Speaker in which he points out that it is a “government function.”
Chodankar noted in the letter to Sawant that hoisting of the flag is a privilege of the executive, of which the Speaker is not a part.
“The Office of the Speaker is an independent authority and not part of the government under the Constitution. The Speaker is required not to be partisan and therefore cannot substitute the CM who is the Chief Executive in the State,” Chodankar’s letter stated.
“Your impartiality is a constitutional requirement,” the letter said, adding that all the Speaker’s duties inherently demand impartiality and can never be part of the government nor of the Executive.
Chodankar pointed out that he will be forced to read out the achievements of the government and its future programs which will damage the institution of the Speaker at the function which will clearly disclose his bias and partisan nature.
The letter expresses hope that Sawant will withdraw his consent to hoist the flag to uphold the dignity and impartiality of the institution of Speaker.
