High-voltage drama and pandemonium gripped the opening day of the brief monsoon ses sion on Monday as Speaker Ganesh Gaonkar deployed assembly marshals to evict shouting Opposition members from the House. The unprecedented up roar erupted immediately after the Speaker disal lowed three crucial starred questions jointly tabled by six Opposition legislators seeking village-wise break downs of No Development Areas (NDAs) and contro versial land conversion applications under Section 39A of the Town and Coun try Planning (TCP) Act over the last three years. The questions were scheduled to be answered on Monday.
Leader of the Opposition Yuri Alemao sought to know the rea son for disallowing the starred questions, which he added were impor tant, and he wanted re plies from the concerned Minister. The Session commenced with the playing of all six stanzas of Vande Mataram followed by the National Anthem. The Speaker said that although the intent behind the questions was honest he had disallowed them under Rules 309 and 37 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business. The matter is also sub judice, he noted. But the reply did not sat isfy the Opposition mem bers who rushed to the Well of the House shouting “shame” and saying they would “not allow Goa to be sold”. They demanded that the questions be allowed and answers provided.
If you enjoyed reading this article, you can help support our journalism by adding OHeraldo as a preferred source.
The Speaker said the Opposition would get an opportunity to speak and advised members to move a breach of privilege motion if they wished. Amid the continued up roar, the House was ad journed for 10 minutes. After the House reassem bled, the Opposition leader again raised the issue even as the Speaker told him that he had already given his ruling and it would not be changed. He called out the other question and noisy scenes continued with opposition members entering the Well of the House for the second time. The Speaker then asked the marshals to remove them from the House.
