PANJIM: In a spontaneous outpouring of emotion, anger and frustration, parents across the State blocked main roads and bridges and allegedly pelted stones on some buses on Friday morning, demanding that the cabinet decision to give grants to English primary schools be translated into a law. The flash demonstrations simultaneously in Margao, Panjim, Mapusa, Vasco and Ponda crippled normal life, delaying office goers hurrying to work.
At about 8 am, the Margao-Panjim highway was blocked at Bambolim. Bridges, including over the rivers Zuari, Mandovi, Borim and Banastarim, which are major links between North and South Goa, were blocked by groups of parents. A heavy police force was deployed on various roads to control the crowd.
The worse affected was Panjim as vehicular flow from Bambolim to KTC Circle and up to O’Coqueiro junction in Porvorim was completely paralysed for over an hour.
The Panjim police force was stretched in its attempts to clear the roads and was making vain attempts to coax parents to allow traffic to move. Later in the day, Panjim police registered a complaint on behalf of the State government on 110 unknown parents of school children from the neighbouring area for unlawful assembly blocking the main public road, obstructing free flow of traffic. The complaint also states, “Obstructing the police staff while discharging their lawful duties and violating the order of Section 144 of CrPC issued by District Magistrate, Panaji,”
Reasons given for the sudden show of strength was the eviction notice served by the District Magistrate on the protestors on July 28 and the removal of Curtorim MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco from the ongoing Assembly session when he raised the issue in the House. The Forum for Rights of Children to Education (FORCE) has constantly been asking that the Education Act be amended to include the cabinet note on grant-in-aid to English medium primary schools.
Earlier on Friday, FORCE treasurer Sintia Fernandes said, “Parents have been tolerating the behaviour of the government for more than a year. Not a single government official has come to visit us. Parents are frustrated and agitated and they will not tolerate this treatment. FORCE has not instigated this agitation but parents have carried out this agitation in support of FORCE. That said, what happened today is just a trailer of what will happen if the government does not act. This is just the beginning.”
She said that the government in a cabinet decision on July 1, 2014 had decided on granting aid to English medium primary schools but even after three assembly sessions, there was still no legislation on this. “Why is it taking so long for the government to pass a bill on a decision that they themselves have taken?” she said.
Several parents have been agitating in Panjim since July 27 demanding grants for English medium primary schools. FORCE organising secretary Savio Lopes is on an indefinite hunger strike which entered the fifth day on Friday.
