It wasn’t Opposition legislators which were heckling Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on the floor of the Assembly on Tuesday. Instead Parrikar, who was replying to a discussion on the Home Ministry’s demands, was bitten by ants in the otherwise plush Goa Assembly.
“They are even biting me now,” the otherwise tough and war-bitten Parrikar said, shuffling on his feet, trying to beat the ants off his body. This was a few minutes after his desk on the floor of the House, was invaded by ants.
“Where did all these ants come fromIJ So many of them,” he exclaimed. Indicating to an usher, he said: “Please use some spray here”. Seeing the Chief Minister’s discomfiture, Speaker Rajendra Arelkar tried to put him at ease saying “they are here because the people are sweet”.
Goa’s Assembly is a state-of-the-art facility with hi-tech facilities like tablet screens on every legislators’ desk and is making efforts to go paperless soon, according to Arlekar.