'Speaker, BJP used national anthem to silence opposition'

The Congress on Tuesday accused Speaker Anant Shet and the Bharatiya Janata Party-led coalition government of using the national anthem to silence the opposition during the one-day state assembly session.

"Look at the timing when the national anthem was played. It was played just as the opposition leader was standing to speak today (Tuesday) in the house," Congress spokesperson and Curtorim legislator Aleixo Reginaldo told the media.

"They claim they are nationalists. Look at what they are doing. Using the national anthem to block voice of the Opposition. We could not raise any issue we wanted, because the Speaker allowed it to play just as our opposition leader was standing up to raise issues. We respect the anthem, so we kept quiet," Reginaldo said.

Goa Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar and Speaker Anant Shet have, however, refuted the charges levelled by the Opposition.

"It was clearly stated that the session was called to complete the constitutional provision, so no discussion was needed," Shet told IANS.

Parsekar said that he was personally against calling a session of the state assembly, especially when the state's people had voted for a new government on February 4 and the counting of votes was scheduled for March 11.

"But when the fate of a new government is sealed in EVMs, then to have a session where the old government is criticised and mocked, it would be a mockery of democracy and elections and Constitution also. To reach that six months' requirement, the session was called on technical grounds and we had no intention of conducting any business," Parsekar said.

--IANS

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