Goa Assembly Speaker, Ramesh Tawadkar, caused a stir on Friday when he refused to allow a discussion on the sensitive Manipur issue during post-lunch proceedings, leading to strong protests by Opposition members. The move was met with accusations of undermining democracy and communal harmony in the peaceful state of Goa. Speaker Tawadkar defended his decision, asserting that bringing up the Manipur issue was an attempt to instigate communities and disrupt the peace in Goa. He urged legislators not to undermine the peaceful coexistence of people from diverse castes and religions in the state.
Despite his explanation, Opposition members from the Congress, Aam Aadmi Party, and the Revolutionary Goans Party held a sit-in protest outside the assembly complex to voice their disagreement. The private member’s resolution, put forth by AAP MLA Cruz Silva, aimed to condemn the ongoing violence in Manipur, express concern over loss of life and property, and call for a peaceful resolution through dialogue with the affected community. However, the resolution was disallowed by the Speaker, citing ongoing actions by the Supreme Court and the Central government on the matter.
Opposition members expressed their discontent, pointing out the Speaker’s apparent double standard when a ruling member was allowed to table a resolution on an unrelated issue concerning the BBC documentary “India: The Modi Question.” They questioned why the Manipur issue was treated differently despite being a matter of grave concern. In response to the protests, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant accused the Opposition of unnecessarily disturbing the communal harmony of the state. He emphasized that the Supreme Court and the Union Home Ministry were already addressing the situation in Manipur.
Following the disruptions in the assembly, all seven Opposition members were suspended for two days. However, the suspension period was later reduced to 24 hours. The Opposition decried the move as undemocratic and vowed to continue their efforts to bring the Manipur issue to the forefront of discussions in the assembly. The situation has heightened tensions within Goa’s political landscape, as the Opposition seeks to address concerns about the ongoing violence in Manipur, while the ruling party is cautious about maintaining communal harmony and peace in the state. As the discussion on the private member’s resolution remains pending, the assembly’s proceedings have become a battleground for opposing viewpoints on how to handle the complex issue.