PORVORIM: The state legislative assembly was adjourned four times on Thursday with the opposition creating uproar in the well of the House over the arrest of independent MLA Rohan Khaunte at midnight for allegedly wrongfully restraining BJP spokesperson Premanand Mahambre.
With the opposition unrelenting in its protest, no business other than the budget presentation by chief minister Pramod Sawant was transacted on day 5 of the session.
They raised slogans “we want justice”, “shame, shame” as Sawant started his budget speech at 3pm. No amount of warnings by speaker Rajesh Patnekar could silence the opposition members who rushed to the well of the House raising slogans.
The uproar continued for around ten minutes with the speaker repeatedly asking the protesting members to stop disturbing the House. On more than one occasion he asked them to either “withdraw or boycott” the House. Finally, the agitating members were whisked out by the marshals.
Earlier in the day, House proceedings were adjourned three times during the first half as the opposition did not budge from its stance — justice for the undemocratic treatment meted out to Khaunte, who was arrested while the House was in session.
As a mark of protest, the opposition members tied a black ribbon on their arms. When the House met at 11.30am, leader of the opposition Digambar Kamat said that what happened on the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday was “undemocratic and irresponsible”.
“You (speaker) are our father in this House. You ought to have protected our interest,” Kamat said.
He also said that the speaker should have taken Congress MLA Pratapsingh Rane’s statement as he was with Khaunte when the alleged incident took place on Wednesday.
“How could you issue permission without an inquiry,” Kamat said. He was supported by GFP chief Vijai Sardesai.
The speaker told the House that he was intimated about the incident. “Under Rule 99 a prior permission was sought as the incident happened in the precincts of the House and it was granted,” he said.
The speaker’s response failed to satisfy agitating members and they once again raised slogans. “I have done my job as per the rules,” the speaker said before adjourning the House till 12pm.
Nothing had changed when the House resumed. Opposition members created a ruckus yet again, leading to a second adjournment within half-an-hour.
Opposition members objected to an alleged note submitted by some BJP activists to the speaker demanding Khaunte’s suspension from the House. The speaker said, “It (the note) doesn’t matter as I will not act on it.”
The opposition rushed to the well yet again, and House was adjourned till 2.30pm.
Speaking to reporters later, the opposition said they will continue to protest until the person on whose “false” complaint Khaunte was arrested, is also arrested.
Rane said, he was with Khaunte and nothing — as stated in the complaint — happened. Likening it to a “Gestapo raj”, he said it will not be tolerated.
“This is the first time in the history of Goa that the opposition was taken out at the time of presenting the budget,” Kamat said.
With the opposition unrelenting in its protest, no business other than the budget presentation by chief minister Pramod Sawant was transacted on day 5 of the session.
They raised slogans “we want justice”, “shame, shame” as Sawant started his budget speech at 3pm. No amount of warnings by speaker Rajesh Patnekar could silence the opposition members who rushed to the well of the House raising slogans.
The uproar continued for around ten minutes with the speaker repeatedly asking the protesting members to stop disturbing the House. On more than one occasion he asked them to either “withdraw or boycott” the House. Finally, the agitating members were whisked out by the marshals.
Earlier in the day, House proceedings were adjourned three times during the first half as the opposition did not budge from its stance — justice for the undemocratic treatment meted out to Khaunte, who was arrested while the House was in session.
As a mark of protest, the opposition members tied a black ribbon on their arms. When the House met at 11.30am, leader of the opposition Digambar Kamat said that what happened on the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday was “undemocratic and irresponsible”.
“You (speaker) are our father in this House. You ought to have protected our interest,” Kamat said.
He also said that the speaker should have taken Congress MLA Pratapsingh Rane’s statement as he was with Khaunte when the alleged incident took place on Wednesday.
“How could you issue permission without an inquiry,” Kamat said. He was supported by GFP chief Vijai Sardesai.
The speaker told the House that he was intimated about the incident. “Under Rule 99 a prior permission was sought as the incident happened in the precincts of the House and it was granted,” he said.
The speaker’s response failed to satisfy agitating members and they once again raised slogans. “I have done my job as per the rules,” the speaker said before adjourning the House till 12pm.
Nothing had changed when the House resumed. Opposition members created a ruckus yet again, leading to a second adjournment within half-an-hour.
Opposition members objected to an alleged note submitted by some BJP activists to the speaker demanding Khaunte’s suspension from the House. The speaker said, “It (the note) doesn’t matter as I will not act on it.”
The opposition rushed to the well yet again, and House was adjourned till 2.30pm.
Speaking to reporters later, the opposition said they will continue to protest until the person on whose “false” complaint Khaunte was arrested, is also arrested.
Rane said, he was with Khaunte and nothing — as stated in the complaint — happened. Likening it to a “Gestapo raj”, he said it will not be tolerated.
“This is the first time in the history of Goa that the opposition was taken out at the time of presenting the budget,” Kamat said.
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