All seven opposition MLAs in Goa suspended from assembly over Manipur

All seven opposition MLAs in the Goa legislative assembly were suspended from attending the ongoing monsoon session for two days by the speaker Ramesh Tawadkar following their demand for a discussion led to a din in the house.  

The seven opposition members suspended include Congress Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao, Congress MLAs Altone D’Costa, Carlos Ferreira, AAP MLAs Venzy Viegas and Cruz Silva, Goa Forward Party’s Vijai Sardesai and the Revolutionary Goans Party’s Viresh Borkar.

Opposition Leader Yuri Alemao demanded a discussion of the violence in Manipur on the House floor on Monday, following Question Hour. Alemao asserted that the Speaker disallowed the resolution on Manipur violence that AAP MLA Cruz Silva introduced last Friday. "Manipur is burning and in the first week of the assembly, we had asked for a discussion. Even a resolution was disallowed. The government is not serious at all. Why should we, not discuss Manipur," Alemao asked.    

All of the opposition, clad in black shirts and trousers, began to demonstrate on the legislative floor. In response to the request, the Speaker stated that the issue is important to the entire nation.

"The union's home ministry is handling the situation. The issue is debated in the legislature. The issue cannot be discussed on the floor of the House," the Speaker ruled. Unhappy with the stand of the Speaker, the opposition rushed to the well of the House shouting “Manipur Manipur” slogans.

Jit Arolkar, an MGP MLA who supports the government, continued speaking on the House floor. However, opposition members raced to his bench and obstructed him with posters. The opposition persisted in preventing Arolkar from speaking on the House floor.

Later, the marshals of the state legislative assembly expelled every member of the opposition.

Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and Environment Minister Niles Cabral demanded action from opposition members following the incident. Sawant stated that such conduct was intolerable.

Announcing his order, the Speaker named the legislators whose participation in the session was suspended for two days beginning today.