PORVORIM: Arch rivals – ruling legislator Manohar ‘Babu’ Azgaonkar and Congress’ Dayanand Sopte entered into a heated argument when the Opposition hinted at corruption into expenditures on tourism-related events.
Sopte, representing the Mandrem constituency, began asking questions to the minister regarding the State Level Marketing and Promotion Committee, experts appointed on the committee, works undertaken, and tenders to select agencies for road shows/exhibitions/promotional events at the domestic and international level among a string of related queries.
Azgaonkar, who also represents the tourist-popular Pernem constituency, began to reply to each question shot at him. However, not satisfied with the responses, Sopte began hinting at massive corruption into the finances by also demanding to know the highest bidder for Carnival and amount quoted by the bidders.
Even as Azgaonkar reiterated that the functioning of the Tourism Department is ‘transparent,’ Sopte continued to attack the former over the events and finances related to it. The tourism minister slammed the Opposition for targeting him over a foreign trip that also had his family members included. Denying the trip of his family members were sponsored by the government, he once again told the House that the expenditure was borne by his family. He also challenged Sopte to prove allegations against him.
The verbal spat between the two turned chaotic forcing Speaker Pramod Sawant to intervene calling for next starred question. The heated argument between the neighbouring constituencies’ MLAs is the second time in the Legislative Assembly.
In the last assembly session, Sopte had blamed Azgaonkar for not inviting him for the Carnival meeting or event, he being the local MLA. During this time also the Speaker had to intervene to ensure the House is not disrupted.
