Panaji, July 18 (IANS): Former Chief Minister and Congress leader Pratapsingh Rane on Tuesday castigated his own party colleagues for obstructing house proceedings, claiming that the Goa assembly was worse than a marketplace.

"Goa assembly is worse that a market," Rane said, adding that he was pained by the fact that the assembly was not being allowed to function.

Rane, also a former Goa assembly Speaker, made the comment on the first day of the monsoon session after ruckus created by Congress legislators forced Speaker Pramod Sawant to adjourn the house on three occasions. 

The Congress legislators wanted to discuss a controversial circular issued in June banning government servants from attending public grievance meetings called by lawmakers at their residences.

"Goans have voted for us. We are here to address their troubles. Making noise will not help," Rane said, while also requesting his colleagues not to obstruct unnecessarily the functioning of the house.