Goa Speaker demands apology from GFP MLA for 'employee of CM' remark

I have no role to play in it, Tawadkar said, accusing the Opposition MLAs of unnecessarily dragging the post of Speaker in the controversy.Later in the day, the Opposition members met Governor P S Sreedharan Pillai and sought his intervention.Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao, who led the group to Raj Bhavan, termed the exclusion of Private Members Day from the session a threat to democracy. Sawant tweeted, the real threat to democracy in Goa is the behaviour of opposition MLAs, making disgraceful comments against the Speaker of Goa legislative Assembly.

Goa Assembly Speaker Ramesh Tawadkar on Tuesday demanded an apology from Goa Forward Party (GFP) MLA Vijai Sardesai for terming the former an ''employee of the chief minister''.

Sardesai's remark evoked angry reaction from CM Sawant who said the behaviour of Opposition MLAs is the ''real threat to democracy in Goa''. Talking to reporters in Porvorim, Tawadkar said he will not meet the Opposition MLAs till Sardesai tenders an apology for his statement, which he claimed was an insult to the Speaker's post.

Sardesai on Monday demanded the Speaker include a 'Private Members Day' in the upcoming session of the Assembly to be held from January 16-19.

Briefing the media, the GFP MLA had said the Speaker was acting like “an employee of the chief minister”.

Tawadkar said he has already informed Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao he will not meet them till Sardesai tenders an apology.

''The duration of the Assembly session is decided by the government, while business in the session is decided by the Business Advisory Committee. I have no role to play in it,” Tawadkar said, accusing the Opposition MLAs of unnecessarily dragging the post of Speaker in the controversy.

Later in the day, the Opposition members met Governor P S Sreedharan Pillai and sought his intervention.

Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao, who led the group to Raj Bhavan, termed the exclusion of Private Members' Day from the session a “threat to democracy.” Sawant tweeted, “the real threat to democracy in Goa is the behaviour of opposition MLAs, making disgraceful comments against the Speaker of Goa legislative Assembly. The frustrated opposition with no real issues are now only looking to make headlines for political gain”.