Opposition MLAs marshalled out of Goa assembly

Panaji: Dramatic scenes were witnessed on the first day of the Goa assembly's monsoon session on Monday with Speaker Rajendra Arlekar ordering marshals to escort opposition MLAs out of the house after they sought resignation of Industries Minister Mahadev Naik for cheating.

Opposition legislators, including Reginaldo Lourenco, Vishwajeet Rane (Congress) and Rohan Khaunte and Vijai Sardesai (Independents) condemned the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government.

They wanted a First Information Report against Naik before they were escorted out.

Asked if the Congress was upping the ante against the treasury bench, fearing targeting of its former ministers in connection with the Louis Berger scandal, Leader of Opposition Pratapsing Rane said: "Absolutely not. "We are in fact demanding a probe into the allegations."

"Let the government appoint a CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) instead of police."

Some officials of Louis Berger have pleaded guilty to offering bribes of $3.9 million to secure contracts in Asian countries such as India, Vietnam, Indonesia and Kuwait.