Ruckus in Goa House over BJP MLA's motion hailing PM for CAA

MLAs of the Congress and the Goa Forward Party rushed to the Well of the Legislative Assembly on Monday on the first day of the Budget session opposing a motion moved by the ruling BJP congratulating Prime Minister Narendra Modi for bringing the Citizenship Amendment Act. The ruckus started when BJP MLA Atanasio Monserratte moved the motion congratulating the PM and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

MLAs of Congress and the GFP led by the Leader of Opposition Digambar Kamat demanded that Speaker Rajesh Patnekar disallow the motion, saying a notice had been submitted by them seeking a discussion on the new citizenship law and the proposed country-wide National Register of Citizens (NRC).

As the Speaker allowed Monserratte to speak, MLAs of the Opposition parties stood up and rushed to the Well.

"This is a murder of democracy. The government is trying to wind up the issue by moving the congratulatory motion," said GFP MLA Vijai Sardesai.

Amid din the speaker adjourned the proceedings till 2.30 pm. After the House re-assembled, the opposition MLAs staged a walkout on the issue. In the House of 40, the ruling BJP has 27 MLAs of its own. The party-led government enjoys support of two Independent MLAs and an NCP legislator. Among the rest 10 MLAs, five are from the Congress, three from the Goa Forward Party, one from the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) and another an Independent.