PANJIM: A day after United Opposition expressed their disappointment over short-duration of the upcoming winter session of the Assembly, Speaker Ramesh Tawadkar condemned the verbal attack on him and the Speaker’s chair and demanded a public apology from Goa Forward MLA Vijai Sardesai.

Sardesai on Monday had said, “The Speaker is behaving as if he is an employee of the Chief Minister.”

Addressing mediapersons on Tuesday, Tawadkar clarified that the session’s length is decided by the State government while the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) takes call on the business to be conducted.

He further said that he has told the Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao that unless MLA Sardesai tenders an apology he will not listen to their grievances.

“He (Sardesai) is a senior leader and former cabinet minister. He should know who decides about Assembly business. But I think he is purposely trying to create confusion among the people. Sardesai has hatched a conspiracy… while defaming the government; he is also defaming the Speaker’s post and the Assembly. He said the Speaker is an employee of the Chief Minister. As a speaker, I condemn this statement. He has insulted this post,” he said.

“I don’t know what he is trying to gain by maligning the Speaker’s post. I have done my duties fairly,” Tawadkar added.