Religion and language ought to have brought people together, but today, unfortunately, they are turning into instruments of discord, strife and even violence. Goa, though it never came under the influence of the great Apostle of non-violence, unlike the rest of the country, yet is proud of being a model of this principle to other States. But perhaps not for too long, if recent trends are any indication. Violence should never be a means of solving differences though sadly it is the only language that the Government understands. Yet, restraint must be exercised at all times, despite provocations.
Our agitation to have Konkani as the official language of Goa was not totally peaceful. The Bill was passed with the Marathi lobby within the Congress, having its way. It not only gave Marathi near equal status with Konkani but it included an unnecessary and highly objectionable rider that Konkani meant Konkani in Devanagri script. This could have been easily omitted but it was deliberately not, because it was meant to put the sizeable chunk of people, who were conversant and wrote Konkani in roman script, at a disadvantage.
To add to this divide we have now the issue of Medium of Instruction, which, to my mind, is more of social justice than an emotional one. There cannot be two opinions on the need to support Konkani which is our language and our identity and that every child must know to read, write, understand and speak Konkani. Despite the learned view that education must be imparted at an early age in mother tongue for the overall intellectual and cultural development of the child, the Supreme Court has been emphatic in warning that imposition of mother tongue as medium of instruction could go against the interests of the children struggling in the present competitive world dominated by English. It further added that such imposition could be counterproductive and make them ineligible even for clerical jobs and put village students at a disadvantage with their peers in urban areas. Despite strong and perhaps valid views, the issue has to be weighed against ground realities, which are altogether different from what we wish they had been.
The importance that the Church attaches to Education and its role in this field not only in Goa but in the rest of India can never be underestimated. And yet it is charged with communalism, not by diehards but by people, at one time considered secular but possibly now associated with the former. The RTE Act provides for respecting the parents’ choice with weightage to 75% of parents. Individual petitions signed by 51000 parents in Catholic schools asking for English as medium of instruction, were submitted to Directorate of Education. Grants were given by the Congress Govt. and a cabinet note in July 2014, with Parrikar as CM, decided to continue the grants. What FORCE has been asking is only to have the decision converted into law. Isn’t the demand justified when the Government has promised it and even now gives assurances, which, however, cannot always be trusted? Apparently the CM objected to the Government being accused of “ditching” the parents. But the Government is known for its U-turns and false promises. Dissent, however, does not go well with the CM and those professing his intolerant ideology. At Azad Maidan, I was pleasantly surprised to find on the stage, people from the majority community not only outnumbering others but actually shouting slogans and leading the group. While everyone has a right to his/her opinion, I was taken aback at the outburst of my respected friend Aravind Bhatikar, who I held in great esteem and regard. It is strange that a person of his caliber should furiously accuse the Church, without assigning any basis, of “in recent years unabashedly moving forward with communalism”. Leave alone absence of discrimination in admissions, most Catholic schools have majority or near majority students from major community. Mr Bhatikar should know better that it is not the Church, as he claims, that is ruling Goa but the RSS. The Catholic Church has been the fiercest supporter of Konkani, with some priests disallowing even marriage masses in English, much to the discontent of the couple and their families. The Church has been in the forefront of many good movements, including the Regional Plan which would have spelt doom for Goa and Goans. It has spearheaded or supported all worthwhile agitations, despite brickbats even from some Catholics. Has the RSS been seen anywhere, Mr Bhatikar?
Unlike those who waver to serve vested interests Savio Lopes stood selflessly like a rock, even risking his life in support of a cause, which is not only of the children but of the parents who cannot afford to send their wards to expensive private schools. This applies to all, irrespective of creed, and hence a large presence of non- Catholics too at Azad Maidan. How does then the issue become communal? Would it then not be right to feel that BBSM is indirectly supporting private English schools or is bent on depriving the poorer sections of good English education? If the Church has to be seen as communal because it supports a good cause meant to ensure social justice for all and particularly for the underprivileged, so be it, for that is its mission.
(The author is a
retired banker)
