MAPUSA
The truncated monsoon session of the Goa Legislative Assembly got off to a stormy start on Wednesday with the united opposition hitting out at the government for suspending discussion on the budget and refusing to provide proper information to questions raised by them.
At the fag end of the morning session, the belligerent opposition MLAs rushed to the well of the House objecting to the un-parliamentary language used by the Legislative Affairs Minister Mauvin Godinho forcing the Speaker to adjourn the House.
Objecting to the government’s decision to suspend discussion on the budget, Fatorda MLA, Vijai Sardessai questioned how the discussion can be suspended when the process had already started in the last assembly session and the chief minister was to answer to the discussion.
Marcaim MLA Ramkrishna (Sudin) Dhavlikar and Porvorim MLA Rohan Khaunte also joined their colleagues slamming the government for restricting discussion on the budget.
He said all the members were aware that the assembly session was curtailed on account of the Covid crisis. Marcaim MLA Ramkrishna (Sudin) Dhavlikar and Porvorim MLA Rohan Khaunte also joined their colleagues slamming the government for restricting discussion on the budget.
In the heat of the debate, Godinho needled the opposition stating that they were enacting the drama on the floor of the House due to the approaching elections.
Amidst the din, Speaker Rajesh Patnekar gave his ruling of suspending the rules of the House.
Earlier, during the Question Hour the opposition members put the treasury benches on a tight leash for failing to provide proper replies and on time to starred and unstarred questions raised by them.
“What is there to hide? Why is the government afraid (to answer queries on forest)? We need a half-an-hour discussion on forest…There is a big scam in it…,” Sardessai said.
Porvorim MLA Rohan Khaunte said seeking information was the privilege of the member and decried attempts to deny crucial information on questions asked.
On several occasions, Chief Minister, Pramod Sawant’s attempts to respond to the charges were drowned by the opposition voices.
“This will be an illegal budget. How can you pass the budget without completing the discussion which was started in the last session?” Sardessai queried.
The Leader of Opposition demanded to know whether the rules can be suspended half the way when the general discussion on the budget had already started.
“The discussion on the budget had started in the last assembly session in March. At least allow the remaining members to complete the discussion and if need be extend the current session by one more day,”
Kamat said.
According to Navelim MLA, Luizinho Faleiro, history was being repeated as the House had similarly passed a Rs 22,000 crore budget last year without discussion.
“Every paisa that the government spends is answerable to the people of Goa. This is a mockery. People of Goa expect certain behaviour from the MLAs,” Faleiro said.
Poriem MLA Pratapsing Rane also got into the act and expressed his anguish against the government decision.
“You are steamrolling all the things,” Rane said.
Responding to the opposition tirade, Panchayat Minister Mauvin Godinho said the government was well within its right to suspend discussion, as the House was prorogued at the last assembly session.
“When the House is prorogued nothing survives. We are totally within the rules. The Speaker is the final authority to decide on the matter,” Godinho said.
He said all the members were aware that the assembly session was curtailed on account of the Covid crisis.
