Chief Minister Pramod Sawant of Goa sparked controversy in the state assembly on Tuesday. He postponed answering a crucial question related to the tragic fire at Birch by Romeo Lane. This Arpora-based nightclub witnessed a devastating blaze that claimed twenty-five lives.
Chief Minister Promises Friday Response
Pramod Sawant addressed the assembly directly. He stated he would provide the answer on Friday instead. The Chief Minister emphasized he needs additional time to update the information thoroughly. "I want to update the information and I will answer the question on Friday. I am not hiding anything," Sawant declared firmly.
Opposition Leader Yuri Alemao Raises Strong Objections
Leader of the Opposition Yuri Alemao immediately challenged this delay. He questioned why the government appears scared to discuss the Arpora incident openly. "When the question is already listed, he wants to postpone it," Alemao pointed out during the session.
Alemao further escalated his criticism by referencing a previous incident. He recalled seeking information about a cabinet meeting earlier. The opposition leader demanded to know under which rule the question was disallowed this time.
Alemao posed sharp questions to the treasury benches. "What do the minister and chief minister want to hide? What are you hiding? This is murder of democracy. I want the minutes of the cabinet meeting," he asserted forcefully.Speaker Ganesh Gaonkar Cites Assembly Rules
Speaker Ganesh Gaonkar intervened in the heated exchange. He clarified that the question had been disallowed as per the existing assembly rules and procedures.
However, Yuri Alemao remained unconvinced by this explanation. He continued his aggressive line of questioning. "What golmaal is going on in the past two years? Why is information not provided? We don't have the right to get cabinet notes? What is the top secret?" the opposition leader demanded angrily.
The assembly session witnessed significant tension over this issue. The postponement has raised serious concerns about transparency and accountability in the government's handling of the Arpora nightclub fire tragedy. All eyes are now on Friday when Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has promised to deliver his answer with updated information.
