PORVORIM: For the second consecutive day, the Goa Legislative Assembly was adjourned without any business after the Congress members continued with their ruckus pressing for an adjournment motion to discuss the issue of formalin in fish. The House has been adjourned till Monday, July 23 at 11.30 am. The detail discussion on the Budget 2018-19, failed to take place, as opposition ensured no business until the formalin issue is debated.
On the first day of the session on Thursday, the House could not transact any business as the Speaker Dr Pramod Sawant had to adjourn it five times after Congress legislators disrupted the proceedings with the demand that they be allowed to move an adjournment motion and take up the issue of formalin in fish.
As the session began on Friday, Leader of Opposition Chandrakant Kavlekar demanded that their adjournment motion, which was not allowed on Thursday, be taken up for discussion, as he charged Speaker of sabotaging opposition voice. He said the issue is of urgent public importance and is concerned with the health of 15 lakh Goan population.
“It is not the issue pertaining to 16 Congress MLA but it is directly related to 15 lakh Goans. I don’t understand as to why the ruling benches are silent on such crucial issue. The adjournment motion, which was moved by us yesterday (Thursday), should be permitted and allowed to be discussed,” Kavlekar said as all 16 MLAs stood up from their chairs.
Speaker, however, said the opposition benches had not moved any fresh motion on Friday, hence the business of the House will continue. “The motion moved yesterday was not permitted and today there is no motion before House. I would request the opposition to allow the business to continue as Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar will submit government reply on formalin issue on Monday before House. I will allow the opposition to speak in length,” he said.
Speaker also said that opposition may move for a fresh adjournment motion, which could be looked into. Speaker slammed opposition by stating that “you do not seem to be interested in the issue but only in disrupting House proceedings”.
The opposition benches, however, refused to listen to the speaker and continued to create pandemonium on the floor of the House, which witnessed chaotic situation, after Ministers and MLAs from ruling side got into argument over health of Chief Minister.
While justifying their need for discussion on the issue, which is related to health of lakhs of people, Leader of Opposition pointed out how the Budget session of the State Assembly was curtailed from 22 days to five days owing to the illness of Chief Minister in February. “The people who pray for our health, we should also need to think about those people’s health. When we can curtail House for health of one person, why can’t we have detail discussion on the topic which is related to health of every Goan?” he had questioned.
The statement, however, did not augur well with the ruling, who bashed out at the opposition for not allowing transacting the business. Chief Minister, Revenue Minister Rohan Khaunte, Health Minister Vishwajit Rane, Sports Minister Manohar Azgaonkar, BJP MLAs Nilesh Cabral and Rajesh Patnekar took on the opposition, as Speaker adjourned the House till 2.30 noon.
As the session resumed post lunch, Congress continued with the demand and rushed to the Well of the House, forcing Speaker to further adjourned the House till Monday, July 23.
