Panaji, Oct 7: Goa's Leader of Opposition Manohar Parrikar today accused assembly speaker Pratapsingh Rane of trying to protect ‘someone' involved in illegal mining scam.
“Speaker is in league with the government. There is no hesitation in saying that he is trying to protect someone in the government,” Parrikar, who chaired Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on illegal mining, told reporters today.
The PAC report was not tabled on the floor of the House by the Speaker on the ground that majority of the members of the committee had given a letter stating that they had not signed the report.
Parrikar, who along with other BJP legislators walked out from the assembly in protest today, said that the Speaker had committed breach of privilege by calling PAC report as a draft report, as reported in a section of the media.
“It's a final report. It's not a draft report,” Parrikar asserted.
The PAC report which estimated illegal mining in the state at Rs 4,000 crore is learnt to have recommended that either Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or Lokayukta should investigate the scam.
“The committee reports, whether select committee, PAC or any other, has to be accepted by the House,” he said.
The leader of Opposition alleged that Rane was reluctant to table the report as his role in allowing illegal mining has also come out clearly in the report.
“When he (Rane) was the Chief Minister, he had condoned delay of the mining firms (in getting permission for mining leases from the union government) in 30 cases while Digambar Kamat has done in 10 cases,” Parrikar said.
PAC had, it is learnt, questioned the condoning, which was done illegally. PTI
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