Team Herald
PANJIM: Expressing shock over non-inclusion of his private member’s resolution seeking amendment to the Anti-Defection Act, Leader of Opposition Digambar Kamat on Friday alleged that the BJP government’s intention of promoting defections and encouraging horse-trading stands exposed.
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Kamat said, “I had moved a resolution urging the Government of India to strengthen the anti-defection law and put an end to the virus of defections which has destroyed the democracy. My resolution was to strongly recommend the Government of India to make necessary changes in the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution to make the anti-defection law stronger. I am shocked to note that my resolution has not even figured on the list of ballot released by the Legislature Department on Friday. This act has exposed the intention of BJP government of promoting defections and encouraging horse-trading.”
Kamat had appealed to all MLAs in Goa to support his resolution which would have been a revolutionary step in fulfilling the vision of former minister late Dr Kashinath Jalmi, who he said, was a master on Constitution of India and whose landmark decision in 1990 that Speaker cannot be part of any defection was upheld by the Supreme Court.
“Today, when the time has come to take revolutionary steps to put an end to defections, the BJP in Goa is all out to sabotage our efforts to bring in a strong law to stop defections,” stated Kamat.
“The Opposition leader strongly condemned the act of the BJP to bring in hurdles in making changes to the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution of India. Today, the BJP government has clear majority in the Parliament. If their intentions are to strengthen the democracy and respect the mandate of the people, they must strengthen the anti-defection law at the earliest,” he demanded.
Kamat charged that the BJP government is responsible for encouraging mass defections and forming governments going against the mandate of the people.
