Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: Amid his ongoing indefinite hunger strike, St Andre MLA Viresh Borkar on Wednesday attended the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) meeting and said clear assurances have been given that questions related to the Town and Country Planning (TCP) Department will be answered within a fixed timeframe.
Speaking to the media while seated in a wheelchair, Borkar said the key concern raised was the delay in furnishing replies to legislative questions. He stated that both Speaker Ganesh Gaonkar and Chief Minister Pramod Sawant have instructed the Chief Secretary to ensure that all TCP-related responses are submitted within the stipulated period.
“Assurances have been given that replies will be provided on time. When answers are delayed or not given properly, protests become necessary,” Borkar said, underlining that adherence to timelines is essential for legislative accountability.
The MLA clarified that he attended the BAC meeting in his role as the representative of the Revolutionary Goans Party (RGP). He added that his hunger strike was not discussed during the meeting and that he did not bring it up either.
However, Borkar maintained that the alleged manhandling incident involving him still requires resolution.
Responding to criticism that the RGP has failed to maintain decorum during the agitation, he said officials must first ensure that proper procedure and decorum are followed on their part, especially when responding to elected representatives within the mandated timeframe.
