Goa Assembly: Opposition demands discussion on Manipur violence

Panaji: Opposition members in the Goa assembly on Tuesday demanded a discussion over Manipur violence and a statement on it from Chief Minister Pramod Sawant.

All seven opposition MLAs in Goa were on Monday suspended for two days after they protested and created a ruckus on in the House over violence in the north-eastern state.

Speaker Ramesh Tawadkar later reduced their suspension from two days to 24 hours.

After the opposition members arrived in the assembly on Tuesday, Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao said the Supreme Court has taken serious cognisance of the violence in Manipur.

He said the matter should be discussed in the House.

“Today it is Manipur, tomorrow it should not be Goa,” Alemao said.

Goa Forward Party MLA Vijai Sardesai said the chief minister should make a statement on the issue.

Speaker Tawadkar refused to allow a discussion on the matter and said the members can table a resolution over it on Friday, the ‘Private Members’ Day’, but he would decide whether it should be allowed or not.

The opposition members then rushed to the well of the House and reiterated their demand.

They later went back to their seats to allow the House proceedings to continue.

Scores of people have been killed and several hundred injured since ethnic violence broke out in Manipur on May 3 when a 'Tribal Solidarity March' was organised in the hill districts to protest against the majority Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe status.