With ‘friendly’ protest, BBSM joins FORCE to welcome MoI policy

GOANEWS DESK, PANAJI | 09 June 2012 16:39 IST

BBSM leaders with CM Parrikar

The Bharatiya Bhasha Suraksha Manch has registered a ‘friendly’ protest with the Manohar Parrikar government for continuing grants to English medium Church-run primary schools, while wholeheartedly welcoming its Medium of Instruction policy.

No protests; instead the BBSM has constituted a five-member committee under the leadership of its convenor Shashikala Kakodkar to study the reasons for stopping grants to 127 Church-run schools.

The BBSM meeting held yesterday was also attended by chief minister Manohar Parrikar and St Andre MLA Vishnu Wagh, who had last year participated in the BBSM-led agitation against giving salary grants to ‘any’ English medium primary school.

“We welcome the MoI policy of Parrikar government, which is the only government to uphold universal principles of elementary education and spell out clear cut policy that grants would be given only to those which would impart education in regional languages – Konkani and Marathi”, said Uday Bhembre, one of the BBSM leader.

He however registered his protest, while talking to media, against a ‘flaw’ in the policy to give grants to Church-run 127 English medium primary schools.

“We will not backtrack on our policy against giving grants to English medium schools”, added Kakodkar, but said no action plan has been chalked out against the ‘flaw’.

Parrikar, who joined the meeting after attending swearing in ceremony of Alina Saldanha, said he had come to reply to certain queries which the BBSM leaders had regarding his MoI policy.

Neither Parrikar nor any BBSM leader however was ready to disclose what were the queries and what was discussed in this regard.

Bhembre also said that giving grants to 127 schools was like rewarding them for shifting to English medium from Konkani in violation of court order.

“They should have been actually punished”, he said while stating that the contempt petition is still pending in the court in this regard.

The BBSM has also demanded that the academic authority, mentioned in the MoI policy, be constituted immediately and report be submitted within six months.

The BBSM has also appealed to all the Konkani and Marathi medium schools to avail all the financial benefits announced by the government.

The meeting was also attended by several veterans including Aravind Bhatikar, Nagesh Karmali, Fr Mosen Athaide, RSS leader Subhash Velingkar, BJP-appointed Goa Konkani Academy president Pundalik Naik, BJP-recommended information commissioner Pandurang Nadkarni, N Shivdas, Sitaram Tengse etc.

Meanwhile, Forum for Rights of Children’s Education (FORCE) has also welcomed the government decision on MoI.

At a press conference held in Margao yesterday evening, FORCE general secretary Savio Lopes expressed hope that the government would implement the MoI policy in the right earnest.

The whole FORCE executive committee seemed happy over meeting their demand of giving freedom to schools managements to shift from Konkani to English by giving salary grants to the schools, especially run by the Church all over Goa.

He also said that the FORCE would keep a close watch on the policy implementation as well as the findings of the academic authority appointed by the government.

The executive committee of FORCE has left its future exiting and work to the general body, a meeting of which would be convened shortly. 


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The policy has no meaning with the selected schools of English medium of Parrikar's choice getting the benefit of Govt. grants. This group shall take full advantage in expanding their base and promoting english and there by Marathi & Konkani will be put in one corner within the next five years.

Mr. Parrikar has REWARDED THOSE SCHOOLS WHO HAVE KILLED KONKANI & PLACED ENGLISH IN THE PLACE. A reward to all goekars who had given him clear mandate to form the new Government, that too within 100 days.

The day is not too far when he will sell our GOA and coolly will make a statement that I have sold Goa to such person / party who will serve you better than him.He will also frame a body / samiti thereafter to give findings as to what he did was right or wrong. Needless to say the samiti would comprise of his CHAMCHAS.

BBSM has lost (to) all the FORCE under the DICTATORSHIP of Mr. Parrikar and his alai Mr WAG. How Mr. Wag can forget his appealing speeches made during the agitation against earlier Congress Govt. decision to give grants to English medium schools. His appeals to the MGP MLA's to resign from the then Govt and the prayers made to Hindu Gods at every village / town. Is this the same person.

Who had invited these two in the meeting of BBSM and what clarifications have they given. or whether they had gone there to pressurise the BBSM team or to FORCE them to join FORCE.

Our other Ministers & MLA's should come out with their clear views on the issue. Whether this decision is of the cabinet or of Mr. Parrikar only, who has made the others to sign the same. Mr. Parsekar, Mr. Arlekar, Mr. Shet, Mr Tawadkar, and all others we want your say

- Mahesh Raikar, Marcel | 10 th June 2012 19:34

 

Good that BBSM and FORCE have accepted the Govt decision on the MOI issue..

Now let there be concerted efforts from all quarters to reduce the importance of English in Judiciary, Higher Education, Govt Offices, Administration and dealing with Public....

It is a tragedy that the circulars to increase use of Konkani and Marathi are being issued in English...

There are many issues before Goa like infrastructure development, job opportunities, revenue collection for development, reducing of revenue flow from Goa to Delhi , crime reduction, tackling drug menace and so on...All these need due attention of the Govt....

- vishwas prabhudesai, loliem | 09 th June 2012 16:53

 

BBSM sold out?

- Samir Kelekar, Bangalore | 09 th June 2012 16:50

 

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