Panaji, July 21:
The Goa Legislative Assembly was rocked by intense confrontations on Monday as the Opposition raised serious allegations of a ₹3,000+ crore coal scam and accused the government of threatening thousands of homes through controversial demolition notices.
Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao triggered the uproar by raising a Point of Order over a starred question on coal being converted to an unstarred question, thereby eliminating the opportunity for debate. Alemao alleged a massive scam involving coal giants Adani and Jindal, accusing the BJP-led government of deliberately avoiding accountability.
“This is a ₹3,000 crore scam. Downgrading the question is a murder of democracy,” Alemao declared, as opposition members backed him, slamming the government’s move as an effort to silence dissent.
Speaker Ramesh Tawadkar attempted to restore order and allowed Question Hour to continue, even as tensions remained high.
Later in the session, Vijai Sardesai, MLA from Fatorda, brought forward an Adjournment Motion over panchayat-issued demolition notices in villages like Pirna, Assnora, Colvale, and Mandrem. Sardesai warned that over 4,500 homes could face demolition due to MDR (Major District Roads) alignment and related surveys.
However, Speaker Tawadkar disallowed the motion, stating that it involved two distinct matters — the panchayat-issued notices and a PWD road survey — and therefore did not qualify for adjournment.
Sardesai expressed alarm over the government’s lack of sensitivity to people’s homes, while the Chief Minister, Dr. Pramod Sawant, hit back strongly. He accused the Opposition of hypocrisy, stating: “The real murder of democracy happened during the Emergency imposed by the Congress.”
The twin issues — the alleged coal scam and the looming threat of demolitions — have reignited political tensions in Goa, with the Opposition promising to intensify pressure in the days ahead.
