Members raise protest over Godinho’s remarks

Porvorim: The assembly session was adjourned briefly on Wednesday afternoon following a chaos in the House over use of unparliamentary use of words by legislative affairs minister

Mauvin Godinho

while criticising opposition members who opposed the motion tabled by him.

Speaker Rajesh Patnekar adjourned the House after the opposition members were seen walking into the Well as they raised their voices to Godinho’s usage of words to describe the behaviour of opposition members.

No sooner he tabled he motion seeking to suspend certain rules of the House, the opposition members stood to object, and pointed out that it was not within the rules. The motion was passed nonetheless.

Goa Forward Party (GFP) MLA Vijai Sardesai said the suspension of rules entailed there will be a no general discussion on the budget. “After the general discussion on budget is completed, the CM replies. Has he replied? If he has, it’s fine by me, but if has not, he should complete it,” Sardesai said.

Opposition leader Digambar Kamat said the discussion on budget was started during the budget session in March, and it was not completed then. “Without completing it they want to suspend the rules. The process has started. I don’t how it can be undone,” said Kamat.

Godinho said, “Once the House has been prorogued, nothing survives, and yet the opposition members are raising objections merely on technicalities. The matter was thoroughly discussed in the business advisory committee meeting. The session has been condensed due to Covid-19.”

“Ultimately, the Speaker is the final authority about the rules and conduct of the House,” he said.

MGP MLA Ramkrishna Dhavalikar said chief minister Pramod Sawant should inform the House that the rules are suspended because he does not want a general discussion on budget even as the latter quoted the rules under which the rules were suspended.


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