Team Herald
PORVORIM: Calling it a ‘serious breach of privilege’, Goa Legislative Assembly Speaker Rajesh Patnekar on Wednesday issued a ‘last warning’ to opposition MLAs for their ‘behaviour’ during Goa Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari’s address to the House, by way of showing placards and banners, during the inaugural day of the Winter Session.
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BJP MLA Nilkant Halankar had moved a Breach of Privilege motion against Congress MLAs – Leader of the Opposition Diagmbar Kamat, Luizinho Faleiro and Alexio Reginaldo Lourenco, Goa Forward Party (GFP) legislators – Vijai Sardesai, Jayesh Salgaonkar, Vinod Palyekar, MGP MLA Sudin Dhavalikar and Independent MLA Rohan Khaunte, for showing black cards and flags to the Governor.
Halankar said that the act of the MLAs, displayed a very disturbing and deviant behavior which has brought great disrepute to the House.
During the opening remark on Wednesday, the Speaker said that on January 25, while the Governor was present in the House, the House witnessed unsavorily behaviour on the part of certain members of the Opposition benches, wherein placards and banners were waved.
“It is a well-stated principle, that when the Governor is present in the House, members must pay due respect and honour due to the Governor, who is only discharging his Constitutional duty. And before bringing any foreign items into the House, prior permission of the chair has to be sought,” Patnekar said.
“The conduct of the members who indulged in such undesirable behaviour amounts to a breach of privilege of the House. Hence, this conduct is a serious breach of privilege and warrants strong displeasure of the House,” he added.
“I warn all members who indulged in this behaviour, that they are put on notice. In future, such conduct will not be tolerated. This is the last warning,” the Speaker said.
After the Governor ended his speech on Monday, the Opposition MLAs started slogans “aamka naka, aamka naka, goyant coal amka naka”, holding placards and wearing black bands on their wrists. They criticised the Governor’s address for having failed to mention contentious issues like coal and linear projects.
Legislative Affairs Minister Mauvin Godinho told the members to maintain decorum of the House. “Other day when the opposition came with placards in the House… I was not happy,” he said.
Referring to the unwarranted lengthy discussion during Question Hour, Godinho said, “We need to focus on conduct of serious business in the House”.
