Panaji: There needs to be accountability and responsibility of every elected representative towards the people. Time has come to take revolutionary steps to put an end to the defections. I am taking the first step to bring in the change by moving a resolution in the Goa Legislative Assembly demanding significant changes in the Anti-Defection Law to permanently put an end to defections from one party to the other stated Leader of Opposition Digambar Kamat.
Paying tributes to the former Minister, Leader of Opposition and Expert on Constitution of India Dr. Kashinath Jalmi on his birth anniversary today, Digambar Kamat remembered his landmark decision in 1990 that Speaker cannot be part of defection. His decision was later upheld by the Supreme Court.
Our own Goan Legislator Dr. Kashinath Jalmi created history with his landmark judgment and emerged as the pioneer to bring in the change to the anti-defection law. Let us all unitedly complete his mission by completely putting an end to the defections. I appeal to all the forty MLA’s to support my resolution and pass it unanimously urging the Government of India to bring in the changes to the anti- defection law immediately stated Digambar Kamat.
Dr. Kashinath Jalmi’s death anniversary is on 22nd July 2012. Congress Party will launch a State wide campaign to create awareness amongst the people on the ill effects of the defections on democracy. We will also enlighten the people of their democratic rights and impress upon them to hold their elected representatives accountable and responsible towards the mandate given to them by the electorate Digambar Kamat said.
Each elected representative must respect the mandate of the people and ensure that no betrayal is done either with the people or the political party during the term for which they are elected. It is our duty to abide by the peoples mandate. We have no authority to take decisions individually. At the most, the elected representative can resign and seek people’s mandate again Digambar Kamat said.
Congress Party has already challenged the Defections by ten MLA’s in Goa before the Speaker of Goa Legislative Assembly and have also taken up the matter before the Supreme Court. The said matter is now pending before the Bombay High Court at Goa. We will ensure that people of Goa will get justice as their elected MLA’s betrayed them by defecting from Congress to BJP. Our AICC Incharge Dinesh Rao has also categorically made it clear that the doors of the Congress Party are permanently closed for the defectors, Digambar Kamat said.
So what if Congress & BJP fights with each other! Which husband & wife don’t fight with each other? This does not mean that they don’t love each other. Fighting with each other has nothing to do when it comes to support each other. Example has already been set by Congress & BJP to the people of Goa. Today there are only 3 Congress MLAs left with the Congress out of 17. Congress helped BJP to form its Government. Congress don’t see the sufferings of Goans because Love is Blind. But Congress sees the sufferings of BJP and help BJP to form the Government.