Team Herald
PANJIM: Congress has strongly opposed the unfurling of the National Flag by Speaker Pramod Sawant in the absence of Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on Independence Day.
“According to the norms and conventions in practice, the National Flag is hoisted by the Governor on Republic Day and by the Chief Minister on Independence Day or in the absence of the Chief Minister, the next in the rank in the cabinet should do it,” Goa Pradesh Congress Committee spokesman Sankalp Amonkar said.
He said hoisting of the National Flag on Independence Day by the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly has never been heard of in the past. “The government is all set to break convention and protocol in the hoisting the National Flag,” he said.
The Congress spokesman said the Speaker is an independent constitutional post and does not form part of the government. The government consists of the Chief Minister and his council of ministers but not the speaker, he added.
