Dissolve the House, if you can’t discuss COVID: Goa Oppn

If an assembly cannot discuss a serious issue like COVID-19, which is the reason why a proposed three-week session has been restricted to one-day, then dissolve the House, former Deputy chief minister and Opposition MLA Vijai Sardesai said on Monday.

Speaking to reporters outside the state assembly complex, before the one-day monsoon session gets underway, Sardesai also said that instead of sanctioning Rs 7 crore on repair and maintenance of the state assembly complex, the government should instead invest in medical equipment so that the 6,000 odd pending COVID-19 test results are expedited.

"If they (treasury benches) do not want to discuss the very issue, because of which a three week session has been reduced to one day... let us do away with the farce. Dissolve the assembly," the Goa Forward party president told reporters.

While the Opposition has been demanding a discussion on the COVID-19 pandemic in the state, which has resulted in more than 30 deaths and 1,500 plus active cases, the agenda finalised for the one-day session is to pass the budget and a host of government bills.

"The CM has ordered Rs 7 crore for repairs (of the assembly complex). Instead, use the money to purchase testing equipment and expedite the pending six thousand COVID-19 test results," Sardesai said.