Goa Assembly Speaker Ramesh Tawadkar.
Credit: X/@ramesh_tawadkar
Panaji: Goa Assembly Speaker Ramesh Tawadkar on Friday said he will be summoning former state minister Prakash Velip for levelling “baseless” allegations against him.
Earlier, Velip had made serious allegations against Tawadkar concerning tribal affairs. Both are tribal leaders.
During the ongoing Budget session, the Speaker told the House that there was a media statement by Velip made against him.
“The allegations levelled against me are baseless and they were made when the Assembly is in session, when I enjoy special powers being the speaker," Tawadkar said.
“There are special privileges to the speaker and his (Velip’s) statements amount to the insult of the position,” he added.
The Speaker said he would seek Velip’s explanation for his conduct. He also warned of action against the media houses that carried Velip’s allegations.
Velip had represented the Quepem assembly constituency in South Goa from 1989 to 2002 when he was a member of the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party. He has now joined the BJP.