Bhembre warns battle against MoI policy will go on

TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
MARGAO: Noted Konkani activist and writer, Uday Bhembre, on Saturday warned that the battle against the government’s Medium of Instruction (MoI) policy is far from over, saying the movement will continue till the policy is changed keeping in tune with the universal principle of imparting medium of instruction in mother tongue.
He was speaking at a function held to honour him with “Bhangralo Goenkar Jivan Siddhi” for his life-time achievement in the field of Konkani and his role for cause of Konkani and the Opinion Poll at the Ravindra Bhavan on Saturday evening. He was felicitated at the hands of famous Gujarati writer, Hitanshu Yashchandra, in the presence of known dignitaries.
“We have faced defeat on the MoI issue, but the battle is not over. This battle is for the identity and future of Goa. As long as the present MoI policy remains, the struggle against its scrapping will continue”, he warned.
Bhembre recalled that Goans had to fight and struggle hard to achieve their just and genuine demands, be it during the Opinion Poll and fight for Konkani.
He said though Konkani has its presence all along the Konkan coast right from Mumbai to Cochin and there cannot be a political state based on the Konkani language. He, however, said that Konkani language can bind all Konkani speaking people from Mumbai to Cochin into a cultural state.
Earlier, Bhembre was brought to the venue in a well decorated vehicle escorted by a procession of youth on two-wheelers and four-wheelers.
A photo exhibition covering the entire period from Opinion poll till date, documenting Bhembre’s contribution and involvement in Konkani movement was inaugurated at the venue.
Chairman of the felicitation committee Damu Naik and others also spoke.