Speaker buries the hatchet, says Gaude will probe funds

PANAJI
The Goa Legislative Assembly Speaker Ramesh Tawadkar on Wednesday said that Art and Culture Minister Govind Gaude has assured to conduct an inquiry into the alleged misappropriation of funds in the department. The allegations were initially levied by the Speaker himself against the Minister over disbursement of funds for events.

The Opposition MLAs led by Fatorda legislator Vijai Sardesai tried to raise the issue of the Speaker’s allegations against Gaude demanding discussion by moving an adjournment motion, a second such attempt in two days. The Speaker, however, refused to allow the motion and asked the opposition benches to let the business of the House continue.

“See, the issue was raised with me by the local panchayats. I took up the issue. The Minister has assured to conduct an inquiry,” he said, denying the motion.

Earlier, Sardesai said that a detailed discussion is must as public money is involved. He said that the public wants to know what the issue is and whether it is going to be a judicial and impartial inquiry.

The Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said that under rule 69 of the House, the motion cannot be allowed as the Speaker himself is named in it.

Tawadkar had last week accused the minister of allegedly misappropriating Rs 26.85 lakh by distributing the money to clubs and organisations under a scheme for conducting cultural programmes, which were never held.