Chaos Erupts in Goa Assembly as Protesters Disrupt Budget Session Over Bandhara Project
The Goa Legislative Assembly in Porvorim descended into chaos on Friday during the inaugural day of the budget session, as four individuals staged a vocal protest from the visitors' gallery against the contentious bandhara project at Mirabag. The demonstrators brandished placards and loudly chanted slogans, demanding justice and opposing the infrastructure initiative, which created significant disruption in the House.
Security Intervenes as Opposition MLAs Rush to Well of the House
Assembly security personnel swiftly intervened, forcibly removing the protesters from the gallery to restore order. Simultaneously, opposition Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) surged into the well of the House, seeking to highlight the issue and demand immediate governmental accountability. The incident prompted Chief Minister Pramod Sawant to initiate a breach of privilege motion to thoroughly investigate the unprecedented security lapse and the protesters' access to the assembly premises.
Adjournment Motion and Heated Exchanges Between Government and Opposition
Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai escalated the confrontation by moving an adjournment motion specifically to discuss the bandhara protest issue, insisting that the government must provide clear explanations. "Govt has to come clear on the issue," Sardesai asserted during the heated proceedings. As he requested a ruling on his motion from Speaker Ganesh Gaonkar, the four protesters stood up, displaying placards and shouting, "We want justice. We don't want bandhara," further intensifying the turmoil.
Chief Minister Sawant responded with sharp criticism, accusing the opposition of orchestrating the disruption. "They don't have the right to speak in the assembly. Check who issued them a pass. They will shoot next time. You (opposition) cannot bring people to the assembly. You have the right to ask. You will ask them to shoot at us. This is a wrong precedent," Sawant declared, reflecting the heightened tensions.
Speaker's Decision and Aftermath of the Protest
Following the speaker's urging for the opposition to return to their benches, order was partially restored. Speaker Gaonkar ultimately disallowed the adjournment motion, citing numerous unresolved questions surrounding the bandhara project. "There are a lot of questions on the issue and that is the reason I disallow the adjournment motion," the speaker explained. Subsequently, the protesters were placed under preventive arrest after assembly security handed them over to the Porvorim police for further legal action.
Broader Context of the Bandhara Project Dispute
The protest is not an isolated incident but stems from prolonged dissatisfaction with the bandhara project. Sardesai highlighted that protesters had been demonstrating for over 27 days without receiving any engagement from government representatives. In contrast, Chief Minister Sawant claimed he had conducted a meeting with the demonstrators, underscoring the ongoing dialogue and conflict surrounding the infrastructure development. The breach of privilege motion moved by Sawant aims to delve deeper into the incident, examining security protocols and the issuance of visitor passes, which has raised serious concerns about assembly safety and procedural integrity.
