Panaji, Dec 27 (IANS): Goa Legislative Assembly Speaker Ramesh Tawadkar on Tuesday sought apology from Goa Forward MLA Vijai Sardesai for his remark against him.
Sardesai on Monday while commenting on the issue of winter session scheduled from January 16 to 19, had said, "The Speaker is behaving as if he is an employee of the Chief Minister."
According to Sardesai, the members will not get enough time to discuss several issues pertaining to the state during the four-day session.
"He is a senior leader and former cabinet minister. He should know who decides about Assembly business. But I think he is purposely trying to create confusion among the people," Tawadkar on Tuesday said while addressing a press conference.
"Sardesai has hatched a conspiracy... while defaming the government, he is also defaming the Speaker's post and the Assembly. He said the Speaker is an employee of the Chief Minister. As a speaker, I condemn this statement. He has insulted this post," Tawadkar said.
Tawadkar said that he has told the Leader of Opposition that unless Sardesai tenders an apology he will not listen to their grievances.
"I don't know what he is trying to gain by maligning the Speaker's post. I have done my duties fairly," he said.
According to Tawadkar, the duration of the Assembly session and business is decided by the government and Business Advisory Committee. "My role is to make this business smooth by giving time to every member," Tawadkar said, adding he always tries to remain neutral.
Sardesai on Tuesday had criticised the way Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has "finished '' legislative democracy. "He is pressurising the office of the Speaker and making him work unconstitutionally. He is pressurising him because there are so many scams and he can't face the public. He is afraid of us despite having 33 MLAs," he said.
Earlier, during the monsoon session, which was trimmed to mere 10 days, the opposition MLAs had levelled several allegations against the BJP government for not giving enough time to discuss issues.