BJP's Parrikar removed from Goa PAC after mining report

Panaji, Oct 8: In a late evening development, Leader of Opposition in Goa Assembly Manohar Parrikar (BJP) was replaced as the chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), hours after he questioned the Speaker's action of not tabling the panel's report on illegal mining.

BJP MLA Vijay Pai-Khot will be the new PAC chief. The PAC, headed by Parrikar, had submitted a detailed report on Rs 4,000-crore illegal mining rackets, but Speaker Pratapsingh Rane refused to table it.

The Congress MLAs on the PAC had questioned the report. Three Congress members - Agnelo Fernandes, Victoria Fernandes and Francis Silveira - refused to sign it. Another PAC member, Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) legislator Dipak Dhavalikar too objected to the report.

MGP is a coalition partner in the Congress-led state government. Parrikar submitted the report to Speaker Rane during the session. Rane, however, withheld it, pointing out the objections by majority Congress members. The session ended on Oct 7.

The Speaker said that he would have to analyse the report before tabling it. Khot represents Canacona constituency.

Other BJP members from the existing PAC - Damodar Naik and Fransis D'Souza - too have been replaced.

PTI