NT NETWORK
PANAJI
Circular issued by the government barring government officials from visiting residences or offices of public representatives for official work may prove to be the reason for all not being well in the Congress legislature wing.
The first day of the monsoon session of the state assembly on Tuesday witnessed 15 MLAs of the Congress party on one side
while the senior-most Congress legislator Pratapsing Rane was on the other side.
The Congress MLAs except Rane were firm that they would obstruct the House from functioning until the government withdraws the circular even after an assurance given by Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar that he would have a discussion on the matter and take a decision to amend the circular as per the requirements of the MLAs.
Despite the assurance by government, the Congress MLAs assembled in the Well of the House and forced Speaker Dr Pramod Sawant to adjourn the House twice.
Former chief minister Rane, who has also served as speaker of the House twice, said that he was pained by the fact that the assembly was not being allowed to function by his own party colleagues and the House was adjourned on three occasions totally. He objected to the behaviour of his own party MLAs urging them to maintain decorum.
“Works cannot be done by creating ruckus in the House. Goa is a progressive state and the state assembly has a good reputation in rest of the country. However, looking at today’s situation in the House we had brought a bad name to the assembly,” an emotional Rane said.
The intervention of Rane and his suggestion to his party MLAs to take a step back in allowing the House proceedings was not accepted by his colleagues even as party MLA Alexio Reginaldo Lourenco said that they have not brought a bad name to the assembly. Later, all the MLAs walked out in protest of the circular while Rane decided to stay back and participated in the House proceedings.
Meanwhile, after walking out of the House, the Congress MLAs assembled in the opposition lobby and expressed their disappointment over the remark made by Rane.
Later, Rane went to the opposition lobby and called back the leader of Opposition Chandrakant ‘Babu’ Kavlekar in the House to move amendment to the motion on Governor’s address. However, other party legislators preferred to stay back in the lobby.
The two MLAs who were furious with Rane were Ponda MLA Ravi Naik and Curtorim MLA Lourenco.
However, later in the day, speaking to media persons, Rane said that he did not target only his own party MLAs and that he instead was referring to all the MLAs of the House. “I stand by the principles and nothing more; it was not only the opposition but the MLAs from the ruling side were also shouting. I have been a Speaker myself in the past. There are certain rules, which we have to follow in the House,” said Rane.
Earlier in the day, leader of the Opposition Kavlekar said that the Congress party will not allow the House to function unless and until the circular is withdrawn by the government.
“Chief Minister should withdraw the circular, have discussions and formulate and issue a fresh one as per the demands of the MLAs, as we are the elected representatives,” said Kavlekar.
He said that he along with four other MLAs of the party will meet the Chief Minister in his chamber on Wednesday morning to discuss about the circular and if the outcome is not favourable for the Congress MLAs then they would continue to raise objection and disallow the House to function.