MAPUSA
A dramatic protest over the proposed Mirabag bandhara erupted inside the Goa Legislative Assembly on Friday after four persons seated in the visitors’ gallery suddenly stood up and displayed placards demanding “justice” and declaring “amkam naka bandhara” (we do not want the bandhara), triggering uproar and sharp reactions from the treasury benches.
The protest sent shockwaves through the House and led to nearly 15 minutes of chaos as Opposition members rushed to the well of the House while ministers condemned the breach of Assembly decorum.
An enraged Chief Minister Pramod Sawant repeatedly demanded the immediate arrest of the protesters and warned that the sanctity of the Assembly had been compromised.
He urged the Speaker to order their arrest and initiate action against those responsible for allowing them to enter the House with posters.
“Arrest them. Throw them behind bars. They have no right to enter the Assembly. This is terrorist-minded activity,” Sawant thundered, alleging that the Opposition had instigated the protest.
“Tomorrow they will come with firearms inside. You will ask them to shoot. Arrest them first,” the chief minister said amid loud protests from the Opposition benches.
Assembly security personnel promptly escorted the protestors out of the House, following which they were taken into custody and detained.
The incident unfolded soon after Vijai Sardesai of the Goa Forward Party raised the Mirabag bandhara issue in the House, pointing out that villagers had been protesting against the project for nearly three weeks and accusing the government of maintaining silence.
Within moments, four persons seated in the visitors’ gallery rose and displayed placards opposing the project, sparking pandemonium in the Assembly.
Backing the chief minister, senior minister Sudin Dhavalikar said that in his 27 years as a legislator he had never witnessed such an incident inside the Assembly and described it as a serious breach of ethics and legislative norms.
Water Resources Minister Subhash Shirodkar also condemned the protest, warning that such actions would set a dangerous precedent inside the House. Defending the project, he said the bandhara was meant to serve the people of Goa and recalled that hundreds of families had sacrificed their homes during the construction of the Salaulim Dam.
Town and Country Planning Minister Vishwajit Rane said allowing such protests inside the Assembly would reduce the institution to a “banana republic”.
However, Sardesai defended the protesters, saying their frustration stemmed from the government’s failure to respond despite sustained agitation by locals against the project for the past 27 days.
As the uproar continued, Speaker Ganesh Gaonkar disallowed an adjournment motion moved by Sardesai on the Mirabag bandhara issue, stating that several questions on the matter had already been admitted and answers would be provided in the House.
Later, Sawant announced that he would move a breach of privilege motion over the incident and sought a thorough investigation into how the protesters managed to enter the visitors’ gallery with placards.
The Speaker also stated that necessary action would be taken against the protesters, noting that the security of the legislators had been compromised.
Four arrested for raising slogans
Porvorim police on Friday arrested four persons after they raised slogans and displayed placards -- demanding “justice” and declaring ‘amkam naka bandhara’ -- in the visitors’ gallery of the Goa Legislative Assembly.
The accused -- Appa Naik, Upendra Naik, Sagar Naik and Umesh Naik have been booked under Section 170 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Following their arrest, the four were sent to the Calangute Primary Health Centre for medical examination. They will later be produced before the Judicial Magistrate First Class.
