Goa rocks House, BJP for fresh polls

Both Houses of Parliament were rocked by the political developments in Goa, with the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) terming the Parrikar government's dismissal "murder of democracy", forcing their adjournment for the day.

As the Lok Sabha convened this morning, BJP chief LK Advani stood up and asked that an adjournment motion be passed on the developments in Goa.

"It is a travesty of the anti-defection law. Legislators, who have resigned from the Assembly and crossed over to the other side, are being made ministers. After removing the BJP government, the new government adjourned the House sine die without proving its majority," he said.

With Speaker Somnath Chatterjee disallowing an adjournment motion, there was pandemonium with NDA members shouting slogans.

Accusing the Goa governor of "murdering" democracy, former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee today demanded dissolution of the Assembly and fresh polls in the state.

"The governor has crossed the limits of his powers and dismissed an elected government. The Assembly should be dissolved and fresh elections held in the state," Vajpayee said.

Terming the developments in Goa "ridiculous", Vajpayee asked, "what kind of democracy is this? An elected government is dismissed".

Asked whether the role of the Assembly Speaker was above board, he said, "if there are grievances against the Speaker, the solution has to be found within the House and not outside. The remedy does not lie with the governor".

Charging the governor with "acting at the behest of the Centre", the NDA chairman said, "the governor cannot behave like a dictator".

The BJP had yesterday demanded the dismissal of the Pratapsinh Rane government and restoration of its government in the state.

Earlier today, the BJP parliamentary party, chaired by Vajpayee, decided to press for an adjournment motion in the Lok Sabha on the issue.

On persistant queries by journalists on the BJP's stand that the Congress-led government in the state be dismissed and the Manohar Parrikar government be reinstated, Vajpayee said, "let the House be convened and majority proved".