Goa Opposition MLAs walk out of Assembly after discussion on Manipur disallowed

Chief Minister Pramod Sawant accused the Opposition of attempting to disturb the communal harmony of the state. He said that the Opposition should not do a “cheap publicity stunt” by raising the issue of Manipur in the Assembly.

“This issue is already being taken up by the Supreme Court and the Union home ministry. The Opposition should not do this cheap publicity stunt,” Sawant said.

The Opposition MLAs, including legislators from the Congress, the AAP and the Revolutionary Goans party, later protested outside the Assembly complex, reiterating their demand.

The Opposition members protested contending that earlier in the Assembly, a private member’s resolution–moved by a BJP MLA– condemning a BBC documentary was allowed despite the issue not being related to the state.

AAP MLA Cruz Silva moved the private member’s resolution to “strongly condemn the violence that has erupted and ongoing in the state of Manipur and expresses shock and concern over loss of life of innocent citizens, loss of property and disruption to normal life.”

On Monday, all seven Opposition MLAs were suspended from the Assembly for two days for disrupting House proceedings after the Speaker disallowed a discussion on the Manipur issue. Hours later, he reduced the suspension to 24 hours.