Team Herald
PANJIM: The Bharatiya Bhasha Suraksha Manch (BBSM) on Wednesday held a protest in Panjim reviving their agitation over the Medium of Instruction (MoI), wherein they accused the BJP led government of giving step-motherly treatment to Konkani and Marathi language.
BBSM leader Subhash Velingkar said they are not against anyone having their primary education in English, but want the government to encourage and promote mother tongue as MoI in the elementary school.
He said the government should immediate resume Rs 400 grant per student given to Marathi and Konkani medium primary schools, with retrospective effect.
“We are not against anyone taking education in English. But government needs to give equal importance and weightage to primary schools in local language. It is the duty of the government to protect our local languages,” he said.
“Maximum efforts should be to ensure that the primary education of a child takes place in Marathi or Konkani,” Velingkar added.
BBSM has warned the government that if their demands are not fulfilled they will campaign against the current MLAs.
As part of the protest, BBSM will also hold public meetings, rallies and called upon Ministers, MLAs to press for their demand.
Before Panjim, the protests were held in Mapusa, Shiroda, Mandrem and Valpoi.
