Panaji: After the opposition MLAs boycotted the training programme by the Goa Legislature Secretariat, alleging wastage of taxpayers money, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Tuesday said that in future the training can be conducted in the Assembly complex itself and it is inappropriate to boycott training when a resourceful organisation imparts it.
While speaking at the valedictory session of the training programme, Sawant said that it is not appropriate to boycott the training as an ‘organisation’, Rambhau Mhalgi Prabodhini, is organising it.
“They are not here to tell you about their goals and policies. This organisation is an expert in this (imparting training). They have given training to many legislative assemblies, to various political parties, MLAs, MPs and elected representatives of local bodies. I am not saying this because I am a member of the BJP. I know this organisation for the last many years,” Sawant said.
He said that ‘Rambhau Mhalgi Prabodhini’ has given training to the NCP, Congress and Shiv Sena members in their campus. “Those who boycotted the training programme can find out this information. This organisation has many resource persons,” Sawant said.
“If they (Opposition MLAs) have problems coming here (hotel), then we can organise the programme in the assembly complex. Imparting training is important. We can organise it in September or October,” he said.
Sawant during the inaugural function on Monday had said that the rules of procedure and conduct of the ‘business’ of the state assembly are like ‘Bhagavad Gita’, which every MLA should follow to become successful and to take democracy ahead.
The AAP MLAs had boycotted this training organised in a five-star resort alleging it was wrong to allow an ideologically-biased outfit and that the help of a RSS-backed NGO was not required.
“Organisation chosen to provide the training is a propaganda agency of the BJP, and it was wrong of the Secretariat to allow an ideologically-biased outfit to be involved in such an important session of the state legislative assembly, expenditure of which was paid by the taxpayer’s money,” the AAP said in a press statement.
The Congress had also criticised the BJP government for spending lakhs of rupees on the two-day training session attended by a few MLAs in a five star hotel. It had questioned the Legislature Secretariat about getting ‘Rambhau Mhalgi Prabodhini’ on board to hold the session.
–IANS