Panaji, July 21:
Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao on Monday accused the BJP-led Goa government of “murdering democracy” by deliberately transferring starred Legislative Assembly Questions (LAQs) to unstarred status to avoid accountability, particularly in connection with the Rs 4,000 crore Green Cess scam.
Raising a point of order on the Assembly floor, Alemao alleged that his starred question on the recovery of Green Cess — a significant financial issue that he claims reveals massive irregularities — was converted into an unstarred question by the government to dodge debate and scrutiny.
“Transferring starred questions that expose the government’s scams, corruption, and illegal practices is a clear sign of fear. This action constitutes a blatant assault on democracy,” Alemao said in a fiery address.
The Congress leader pointed out that the same question regarding Green Cess recovery had previously been answered by Minister for New & Renewable Energy, Sudin Dhavalikar. However, in a surprising move this time, the question was shifted to the Finance Department and downgraded to unstarred — which does not allow for debate in the House.
“The BJP government is using such tactics to shield itself from exposure of scams, corruption, and failed promises,” Alemao claimed. “Earlier, the House was assured that pending dues would be recovered. To seek an update and understand the impact on state revenue, Aldona MLA Carlos Ferreira, Quepem MLA Altone D’Costa, and I submitted another starred LAQ titled ‘Green Cess’ to the Department of New & Renewable Energy. But fearing exposure, it was redirected to the Finance Department and made unstarred.”
Calling it a grave injustice to the Opposition and an attack on the legislative process, Alemao accused the government of systematically silencing dissent and eroding democratic values.
“This move is more than just political strategy — it’s a threat to the very spirit of the Assembly. It highlights a pattern of suppressing Opposition voices and avoiding transparency in matters of public interest,” he concluded.
The remarks have further intensified tensions between the ruling and opposition benches as the monsoon session of the Goa Legislative Assembly continues.
