Goa CM, Leader of Opposition spar over 'unparliamentary protest' in Assembly

Leader of Opposition Digambar Kamat hit back at Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant who accused the opposition of ‘unparliamentary actions’ after they wore black armbands and held up placards in the legislative assembly during the Governor’s maiden address on Monday.

Opposition legislators including Aleixo Lourenco, Vijai Sardesai and Rohan Khaunte had held up placards in a protest that was somewhat muted because Governor of Goa and Maharashtra B S Koshyari cut short his maiden speech claiming that he had health problems.

“On the first day of the Assembly session, we saw inappropriate and unparliamentary actions of the opposition benches towards the Honourable Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari ji. The opposition should introspect and uphold the democratic values, and also work in the interest of the people,” Sawant said.

Kamat took to Twitter to hit back saying, “[The] government must listen to Emotions, Sentiments & Aspirations of the People & the Duty of the Opposition is to be the Voice of the People. Some Actions come as a Reaction. Let the Government show the courage to face the Opposition at Length in Assembly without adopting shortcuts.”

The opposition which now consists of less than one fourth of the total strength of the Goa Legislative Assembly owing to large scale defections over the last five years, has been raising its voice claiming that the Goa government is stifling dissenting voices.

“If the government is afraid of even the little of the opposition that is left then they are really afraid,” Vijai Sardesai of the Goa Forward Party said.