Journalist who wrote about Parrikar's health barred from Goa assembly

A journalist was on Monday barred from entering the precincts of the Goa legislative assembly, two days after he sent across a message about Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar's ill-health and later retracted it.

Harish Volvoikar, who runs GoaJunction.com, was stopped by the security personnel on Monday morning, on the first day of the budget session.

"I am not being allowed to enter the assembly complex, arbitrarily. I have the required security pass to enter the assembly complex as I have been (having) for the last few years," Volvoikar told reporters at the assembly complex.

The journalist also had a confrontation with Atmaram Barve, Officer on Special Duty to the Goa Speaker Pramod Sawant over the issue. Speaking to reporters, Barve did not deny barring Volvoikar from the assembly complex. "We will discuss with the Speaker," Barve said.

When questioned about the reasons why barred Volvoikar from entering the assembly complex Speaker Pramod Sawant said: "Who is he?"

He also said, that he would look into the issue.

On Saturday, GoaJunction.com had released a news message about Parrikar's failing health and later retracted it.

--IANS

maya/pgh/hs