MAPUSA
Finally, the Opposition of four different parties worked as a cohesive unit and created enough noise to highlight the burning Manipur issue in the House but in the process earned the ire of the ruling benches and the Speaker of the Goa Legislative Assembly, Ramesh Tawadkar who suspended all the seven opposition MLAs for creating ruckus and obstructing Mandrem MLA Jit Arolkar from speaking during the Zero Hour.
The MLAs were initially suspended for two days under Rule 289 of the Rules of Business of the House but later in the evening the suspension was reduced to 24 hours by the Speaker. So, the Opposition MLAs will join the assembly proceedings after the Question Hour on Tuesday.
Soon after the Question Hour ended, the Opposition MLAs who all came dressed in black, demanded discussion over the violence in Manipur.
The MLAs displayed placards and rushed to the well of the House asking the Speaker to allow a discussion on the Manipur issue during the Zero Hour.
While refusing to entertain their request, the Speaker maintained that the Union Home Ministry was handling the issue and asked the members to raise the issue on Friday during the private members bill.
But the unrelenting Opposition MLAs continued with their protest in the well of the House demanding discussion on the Manipur issue.
Amidst the opposition din, the Speaker called out Mormugao MLA Sankalp Amonkar to make his Zero Hour mention.
Finding that the Speaker was not relenting to their demand and continued with the business of the House, the Opposition MLAs rushed to the desk of Mandrem MLA Jit Arolkar blocking his view and obstructing him from speaking by snatching his mike and even snatching his papers.
This infuriated the ministers and MLAs from the ruling benches, who condemned the behaviour of the Opposition MLAs and demanded strict action against them.
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and PWD Minister Nilesh Cabral were vociferous in their demand calling for action against the Opposition MLAs. Power Minister, Sudin Dhavlikar and Margao MLA Digambar Kamat also joined the chorus demanding action against the Opposition.
Initially, the Speaker said he would look into the matter and take action the next day. But the ministers and the MLAs from the ruling benches did not relent.
“They have blocked a member of the House while he was reading during the Zero Hour, snatched his mike and threw his papers away. This is not right. We want justice to our member. You must name the MLAs and take serious action against them,” said CM Pramod Sawant.
“In the history of this House, we went to the well of the House but never blocked the CM or a member of the House,” Margao MLA Digambar Kamat said.
The Speaker then named the opposition MLAs and suspended them for two days.
Later in the evening, the Speaker reduced the suspension to 24 hours after the Opposition MLAs reportedly called on the Speaker along with some senior MLAs from the ruling side requesting for relaxation of the suspension.
Earlier, while speaking to reporters, the Speaker said he was forced to act tough, as the Opposition behaviour was unacceptable, particularly the blocking of a member of the House from speaking.
Tawadkar said some MLAs even rushed to the desks of the CM and the Health Minister.
