PORVORIM: The fourth day of the Budget session of the Goa Legislative Assembly, witnessed uproar by the Opposition benches after two ruling ministers sought to postpone questions on the allocation of Coal Block and Mhadei water diversion.
Speaker Rajesh Patnekar had to adjourn the session twice after Goa Forward MLA Vijai Sardesai and Independent MLA Rohan Khaunte rushed to the Well of the House, demanding that the government ought to reply to the questions since the written replies were already circulated to the legislators.
A starred question jointly tabled by Khaunte, Sardesai and their colleagues Jayesh Salgaonkar and Vinod Paliencar sought to know allocation of Coal Block, which is given to Goa while the Block is in Madhya Pradesh. Industries Minister Vishwajit Rane had submitted a written reply but urged the Speaker more time to answer in detail.
This triggered noisy scenes on the floor of the House with Khaunte questioning the minister as to under which rule he could postpone the Question which was tabled. He was supported by Sardesai who questioned the reason to “hide”.
“What does he have to hide? It is a Rs 1,000 crore scam of 37.9 million tonnes coal. The project is given to a blacklisted company. We have the right to know. Why are you killing democracy?” he said.
Khaunte further charged that the government had nominated the blacklisted company which is already under the scanner of the Enforcement Directorate.
The Speaker pointed out that the minister has a right to postpone the Question in the “Public Interest” to which the unhappy opposition benches rushed to the Well of the House. Similarly, the Opposition also raised objection to Minister Filipe Neri Rodrigues’ statement requesting Speaker to postpone the question to another session starred question on Mhadei, also tabled by the four legislators.
Speaker adjourned the first hour of the business by 15 minutes. On resuming the session, the legislators, this time supported by Leader of Opposition Digambar Kamat and MGP MLA Sudin Dhavalikar demanded an answer from the government.
