PANAJI
The numerically weak Opposition raised a ruckus and walked out of the Goa legislative assembly on Friday letting the treasury benches a free run to rush through the passage of eleven legislations, including the one which proposes a State-owned Corporation to resume mining and two Appropriation Bills besides demands for grants pertaining to 26 budgetary heads (departments) sans any discussion.
Trouble erupted on Friday when the House reconvened after the evening tea break. Members of the Opposition benches raised the ruckus after trooping to the well of the House and protesting the government's act of bulldozing legislative business without allowing fair discussion.
The trigger for the Opposition's actions apparently was the obstinate refusal of Patnekar to give a ruling on the demand of Leader of the Opposition that all the government bills listed be referred to a select committee and convene a one-day session some weeks later only to transact these legislations.
His insistence for a ruling fell on deaf ears and Patnekar insisted on sticking to the agenda "as approved by the Business Advisory Committee" prompting the Opposition MLAs to troop to the well of the House and raise a ruckus.
Amid the din in the well of the House, Goa Forward Party chief Vijai Sardesai even flung the House rule book at the desk of the Speaker. Rohan Khaunte too threw a warden's hat in his direction.
The Goa Mineral Development Corporation Bill, The Goa Bhumiputra Adhikarini Bill, The Goa Town and Country Planning (Amendment) Bill, The Goa Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill, India International University of Legal Education and Research of the Bar Council of India Trust of Goa Bill, The Goa Investment Promotion and Facilitation of Single Window Clearance Bill, The Goa Housing Board (Amendment) Bill, The Agriculture Produce and Livestock Marketing (Promotion and facilitation) Amendment Bill, The Goa Laws (Amendment) Bill, The Goa Co-operative Societies (Amendment) Bill, The Goa Panchayat Raj (Amendment) Bill, The Goa Shops and Establishment (Amendment) Bill, The Goa Agriculture Tenancy (Amendment) Bill, The Goa (Regulation of Film Shooting) Bill, The Goa Public Lighting Duty Bill, The Goa Public Gambling (Amendment) Bill, were then passed by the House sans any discussion.
