The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has stated that convicted MLA Francisco (Mickky) Pacheco should be permitted to attend the monsoon session of the legislature. The party has cited precedents of convicted MLAs attending assembly sessions. However the party has maintained silence on the issue of granting pardon to the incarcerated MLA.
I believe that convicted persons should not be permitted to attend assembly sessions as such action lowers the dignity of the august house. And granting pardon to the convicted MLA will only send a wrong signal to conscientious government employees. Moreover if Mickky is pardoned similar amnesty must to extended to all convicts accused of minor crimes.
The BJP claims that Pacheco represents the people of Nuvem constituency who have many problems and he has a right to raise these issues in the assembly. May I ask just who was representing the people of Nuvem when Pacheco was evading arrest for several weeks?
Finally, I believe that Mr Pacheco himself would not be inclined to attend the Assembly sessions. Jail manual mandates that convicts may be taken out of jail only in jail uniform!
Prof Robert Castellino, Calangute
