ASSEMBLY FURORE AS OPPOSITION DEMANDS SACKING OF ATANASIO MONSERRATE

PANJIM: The state legislative assembly witnessed uproarious scenes, as a determined opposition Bharatiya Janata Party did not allow it to function on Tuesday demanding removal of the Education Minister, Mr Atanasio Monserrate, even as they protested over their notice for discussing adjournment motion not being considered.

The uproarious scenes were seen soon after the House reassembled after a three-day break after the Speaker, Mr Pratapsing Rane called for the Question Hour. The leader of opposition, Mr Manohar Parrikar rose to ask the Speaker as to what was the fate of the adjournment motion moved by him. He also pleaded that the Question Hour be suspended so that the members could discuss important issue involving a minister.

As the opposition leader insisted on the House discussing the adjournment motion, the Chief Minister, Mr Digambar Kamat rose and told the House that he was ready to make a statement on the issue. The Speaker, however, prevented him from doing so and said that the Question Hour would not be cancelled.

The leader of the opposition requested the Speaker to use his discretionary powers to allow the discussion stating that "when the image of the state, its government and members of the House is at stake, we cannot ask less relevant questions to ministers and expect to get replies from them, especially as one of them has been detained for smuggling foreign currency to another country."

After the refusal of the Speaker to cancel the Question Hour, the Bharatiya Janata Party MLAs marched to the Well of the House shouting slogans against the government.  The Speaker then adjourned the House till 2.30 p.m.

Soon after the House reassembled in the afternoon, it witnessed similar scenes with Mr Parrikar re-iterating that the House take up discussion on adjournment motion but the Speaker informing him that he has received his (Parrikar’s) notice for discussion on adjournment motion and that he would give decision on the issue later and that the House discuss the slated business.

Mr Rane told Mr Parrikar, who insisted on suspending the rules to allow the adjournment motion be tabled, that he believed in democracy and would allow only rule of law to prevail in the assembly. He also urged the members to observe decorum in the House. At this juncture, the opposition leader was heard saying that smuggling by a minister was a serious offence and that the issue be discussed by suspending the rules. The Speaker then called for tabling of congratulatory motion but none of the members who had given notice for discussion called it up prompting the Speaker to call for other business. The opposition members were seen rushing to the well of the House shouting slogans.

The Environment Minister, Mr Aleixo Sequeira read out the business listed mentioned against his name following which the Speaker called the two ministers, Mr Joaquim Alemao (Urban Development) and Mr Nilkanth Halarnkar (Tourism) to present the demands listed for the day in the House. The two ministers called out the business listed against their names and the demands were passed without discussion soon thereafter amid shouting of slogans.

Meanwhile, the Chief Minister said that the detention of the Education Minister, Mr Atanasio Monserrate by the Customs officials at the Mumbai airport last week, for carrying excess foreign currency would not affect the image of his government in any way. "He was not on an official tour but a private visit to another country," he clarified.

Interacting with the media, the Chief Minister further said that he was ready to make a statement on the floor of the House on the particular issue as well as table the panchanama made by the Customs officials after the detention of the Minister for Education. "The Mumbai Customs has already served a related notice on Mr Monserrate and asked him to return with all relevant documents as regards the excess money in his possession," he informed, observing that the Customs officials are adjudicating the case and the law will take its own course. "Under such circumstances, I cannot form a view on the matter," the Chief Minister maintained, pointing out that there is a process for such inquiry.

Later, addressing a press conference, the leader of the opposition said that Goa was already in bad light due to the detention of the Minister for Education. "One of the national dailies has reported that the intervention from no less than the Union Minister for Finance had resulted in freedom of Mr Monserrate, while another national daily has reported that the son of the Minister for Education had managed to board the aircraft and fly to Dubai on the same day carrying with him huge amount of foreign exchange for Hawala transaction." "The Chief Minister should immediately sack Mr Monserrate from the state cabinet," he demanded, stating that the BJP would not allow the House to run until this demand is met.

The Aldona MLA, Mr Dayanand Narvekar told the media that sacking or retaining any minister in his cabinet is the prerogative of the Chief Minister. "It is not the moral of a person but the prerogative of the Chief Minister, which is responsible for his place in the cabinet," he quipped. Meanwhile, with the opposition declaring that it would not allow the House to function till Mr Monserrate was removed from the cabinet, the ruling side members were discussing the possibility of curtailing the remainder of the session and passing the budget over the next two days. A senior legislator informed that a meeting of the business advisory was held on Tuesday after the House was adjourned wherein the possibility of curtailing the session was discussed. He went on to add that though no decision was taken the possibility of ending the session on Wednesday or Thursday could not be ruled out.