The Bharatiya Bhasha Suraksha Manch and the RSS, partners in arms, to deny the right of parents to chose the language of instruction for their children, but by ironically agreeing to the ‘freedom of choice principle’ has tied itself up in knots trying to justify the unjustifiable. While Herald’s position on the issue is clear, consistent, logical and emotional and above all fair – that grants for English schools at the primary level have to be given along with grants for Konkani and Marathi – the BBSM’s stand is completely contrary. It is unclear, illogical, not emotional but politically motivated and getting consistently rabid and religious.
It’s rally on Friday was in complete contrast to the spontaneous outpouring of parents on the roads of Goa in support of English at primary levels last week. While they wanted choice without excluding anyone else from exercising that choice, BBSM’s rally was all about denial of that choice to parents who want English for their children. If the contrast between a positive desire and a negative one was needed, all you have to do is watch the footage and hear the speeches of ordinary parents who turned up for the spontaneous protests in support of FORCE. And then contrast this with the illogical, confusing and false statements made by the die-hard professional anti-English crusaders at the BBSM rally.
While the stand of the parents who want a freedom of choice has been well documented, it is important to note here the statements made by BBSM leadership and play them out in their full shallowness.
BBSM’s Arguments:
1. Goan youth are ashamed of speaking in their local language.
Our response: There is no evidence of any direct linkage between local youth being ashamed of speaking in their local language and grants given to English medium schools. Children studying in primary schools with English as a medium of instruction have parents who are rooted in the ethos and the language of Goa and almost a hundred percent of them speak Konkani or Marathi at home.
2. BBSM is not against education in English, but wants parents to have a choice of education in the local language
Our response: So what is the problem? If that is the case, what is the BBSM fighting for? Neither FORCE nor parents are against giving the choice to parents to choose any language be it Konkani, Marathi or English.
3. How can 11 MLAs pass a law in the assembly to continue grants when they do not have the majority?
Our response: This is indeed amusing. The cabinet of the BJP government, which included three of the ten MLAs who have assured FORCE that the “matter”, will be looked at in the next assembly session, has taken a decision to pass a bill to ensure these rights. The same decision holds. If the cabinet goes back on its decision, it should meet again and decide to withdraw the decision and risk facing the wrath of frustrated parents.
There were other people too at the rally who said that English was a foreign language and teaching in that language led to vulgar culture and a communication gap between parents and children. If that is the case, then a key element in the BBSM Arvind Bhatikar should be asked to close down his Bhatikar Model English school and withdraw school going children in his family from English medium schools. Sashikala Kakodkar should also apologise for sending children in her family to premier English language schools and all BBSM leaders should disclose if any member of their families have received English education or not.
Let them all come clean and end this hypocrisy. The BBSM speaks the language of toppling governments and “ending the monopoly of Diocesan schools” in the garb of protecting the mother tongue. This is nothing but a communal political exercise and has very little to do with education.
