Panaji, Dec 28 (IANS): Opposition MLAs of Goa led by the Leader of the Opposition, Yuri Alemao, on Tuesday called on Governor P.S. Sreedharan Pillai and urged him to direct the government to extend the duration of winter session by three weeks and allow 'Private Members Business'.
After Goa Legislative assembly speaker, Ramesh Tawadkar, refused to meet these opposition MLAs on Tuesday, they called on Pillai and sought his intervention.
Alemao on Monday had convened a meeting of all seven opposition MLAs (including him) to discuss joint floor management strategies to grill the state government in the Assembly session to be held from January 16 to 19.
Goa Forward Party MLA Vijai Sardesai, AAP MLAs Venzy Viegas and Cruz Silva, Revolutionary Goan Party MLA Viresh Borkar, along with Congress' Carlos Alvares Ferreira and Altone D'Costa, were present for the meeting held in the Secretariat.
On Tuesday, they tried to meet the Speaker, however he refused to meet them over remarks of Sardesai against him. While commenting on the issue of winter session, Sardesai on Monday said, "The Speaker is behaving as if he is an employee of the Chief Minister."
Opposition has submitted a memorandum to Governor Pillai stating to direct the government to extend the duration of winter session by two to three weeks and to allow 'Private Members Business' during the session.
According to Alemao, "Private Members Business" is held on Fridays. The BJP government has purposely curtailed the session to four days (concluding on Thursday).
"This is murder of democracy. We demand that the winter session should be of at least two weeks or if they are decisive of holding it for four days then it should start from Tuesday, so it concludes on Friday," Alemao said.
"We have explained to the governor about the unconstitutional attitude of the speaker. It is black day in democracy. Hence we have asked the governor to intervene. We are here to resolve the problems. There are burning issues, which need to be discussed. Our rights as MLAs should be protected," Alemao said after meeting the governor .