Press Statement issued by BJP National Spokesperson
Sh. Rajiv Pratap Rudy
BJP National Spokesperson Shri Rajiv Pratap Rudy today said that the BJP holds the President of the Congress Party Mrs. Sonia Gandhi solely responsible for the unconstitutional and illegal action orchestrated in the Goa Assembly that resulted in the butchering of democracy. Shri Rudy said that the Speaker of the Goa Assembly Mr Pratap Singh Rane, a staunch Congressman who has been the Chief Minister of the state for 18 years, by acting on direct instructions from the Congress High Command, completely denigrated Constitutional propriety by fraudulently conducting the proceedings of the House to save the Digambar Kamat Government which had lost its majority.
Shri Rudy demanded answers from the Congress party on the following relevant issues:
a. Why the three elected members were restrained from voting and debarred from the proceedings of the House while a no Confidence Motion was pending against the Speaker himself?
b. Why did the Speaker defy the directive of the Governor issued under Article 175 Clause 2 where the first business listed was Vote of Confidence? (Copy enclosed.)
c. Why did the Speaker take up the disqualification notice as the first item which was not listed without serving a copy of the complaint or a notice or even giving the concerned MLAs an opportunity of being heard?
d. On what grounds did the Speaker give the ex-parte order, when the Members purported to be disqualified were present in the House?
e. Why was the resignation offer by one of the members not considered prior to the Speaker issuing an order of restrainment?
f. ON what grounds did the Speaker debar a whole political party from participating in the proceedings of the House?
Questions on the Vote of Confidence:-
a. Why was Manohar Parikar not allowed even once to raise the point of order despite rising eighteen times prior to the Vote of Confidence thereby pre-empting the opposition to even demand for division of votes in the House?
b. How did the Speaker know prior to the “casting of his vote” that there was a tie without division of votes actually taking place on the floor?
c. Why did the Speaker rescind his own vote after 20 minutes stating that since no division has taken place he is voting by a “Voice Vote” thereby confirming that no division had taken place.
The BJP denounces the subversion of constitutional propriety in Goa. The very fact that the Speaker cast his vote declaring a tie confirms that the Congress led Government is in minority. Pertinently will the Speaker henceforth in all future legislative action continue to cast his vote to keep a minority government going and thereby defy the expected tenet of the Speaker maintaining impartiality? The BJP reiterates that Goa Democratic Alliance (GDA) has a majority in the Goa Assembly and the Digambar Kamat Government should be dismissed with immediate effect and the Governor should invite the Manohar Parikar led GDA coalition to install a popular Government.
(Shyam Jaju)
Office Incharge
