National

Rane to seek vote before budget

By Anil Sastry

PANAJI, MARCH 1. The Goa Chief Minister, Pratapsinh Rane, who could not seek a vote of confidence on Monday, following resignations of the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker, today said he would present the budget on March 28. He said "very soon" he would seek the vote of confidence well before the budget.

After the Cabinet meeting here today, Mr. Rane told reporters that as the House was adjourned sine die on Monday, it has to be prorogued by the Governor and reconvened at a later date. He said that the Government would urge the Election Commission to hold early byelections for the five constituencies that became vacant due to the resignation of BJP MLAs.

Asked about the disruption of Parliament proceedings by NDA members today, Mr. Rane said there was nothing new in it. "Every time they do it." He said the Government was functioning and the full Cabinet was taking decisions.

On the forgery allegation regarding the Deputy Chief Minister, Filipe Neri Rodrigues' disqualification proceedings, Mr. Rane saidthe police were `going slow' on the instructions of the former Speaker, Vishwas Satarkar. They would now investigate the case speedily, he said.

`Intimidatory tactics'

The ousted Chief Minister, Manohar Parrikar, alleged that the Rane Government resorted to intimidatory tactics by pressuring the police to investigate the alleged forgery case and arrest the petitioner and MLA, Sadanand Shet Tanvade.

Mr. Parrikar told reporters here today that fresh summons had been issued on Mr. Tanvade asking him to appear before the police for investigation and cautioned the Government that the BJP would fight it on every possible forum.

He said he was surprised by the Director-General of Police's justification that he had taken advice from the Advocate-General (AG) and the Law Secretary. He said the DGP should have sought the advice of the Secretary-General of the Lok Sabha and not that of the AG, ``who has been a lawyer of the Congress.''

"By doing all these, they are digging their own grave," he said. He said it was an ``illegitimate government'' as no notification declaring that Mr. Neri, who has been disqualified, ceased to be a Minister under Article 164 (1) (b) of the Constitution, has so far been issued. The Speaker had already informed the Election Commission about the vacancy in the Goa Assembly and the disqualification order was irreversible, he claimed.

Reiterating his demand for the dismissal of the Rane Government, Mr. Parrikar said Mr. Rane was afraid of facing the Assembly since he was in minority. The House could have been convened at short notice as it has only been adjourned sine die, he claimed.

Lodges police complaint

Francisco Sardinha, who was appointed the pro tem Speaker by the Governor, S.C. Jamir, on Monday, has lodged a police complaint that the files regarding the Deputy Chief Minister were missing from the Speaker's office. Mr. Sardinha, who assumed office this afternoon, told The Hindu that he had to get the lockers forcibly opened in the presence of the police and the Legislature Secretary as the former Speaker did not hand over the keys till late evening.

The action was necessitated following a request by the police to the Legislature Secretary for copies of the allegedly forged documents to continue with their investigation on the complaint of Mr. Neri, Mr. Sardinha said and alleged that the absence of the files led him to suspect that Mr. Neri's complaint must be genuine and that files had been taken away to protect the accused.

Mr. Neri was disqualified by Mr. Satarkar, on Monday on the disqualification petition filed by Mr. Tanvade, alleging that the member had ceased to be an Independent MLA as he had joined the BJP in 2002.

Mr. Neri had lodged a complaint with the police alleging that his signature had been forged on the membership form. Following a complaint by Mr. Tanvade that the police were intimidating him, Mr. Satarkar had directed the police not to interfere in the proceedings pending before him.

However, Mr. Satarkar and the Deputy Speaker, Narahari Haldankar, resigned from their posts on Monday ahead of the trust vote to be sought by the Chief Minister and the House was adjourned sine die. With their resignations and with Mr. Sardinha's appointment as the pro tem Speaker, the Congress camp has 16 members and the BJP 17 members.

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