PANJIM: Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) on Monday slammed the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) for its ‘double standards’ on the Medium of Instruction (MoI) and for extending support to the Bharatiya Bhasha Suraksha Manch (BBSM).
Addressing the media, BJP president Vinay Tendulkar said the MGP should stop its doublespeak on MoI as the party was a part of the Congress-led government in 2011 which decided the MoI policy. He asked why MGP extended its support to the Congress-led government on the MoI policy giving grants to English schools and accused the party of taking a U-turn by supporting BBSM.
MGP had declared its support to the BBSM agitation at a meeting at Farmagudi, Ponda on Sunday. MGP’s Ponda MLA Lavoo Mamledar, speaking at the meeting, had also promised that the issue would be raised in the Assembly and they will ask the government to discontinue grants.
BBSM convener Subhash Velingkar at the Ponda meeting had asked BJP workers who loved the mother tongue to join the agitation. He had said that if MGP can take a stand in this regard, other political parties too should realise the importance of the matter.
The government has been facing criticism across the State with BBSM demanding withdrawal of grants to English school and FORCE demanding that the cabinet decision giving grants to schools be converted into law. Both groups have opposed the formation of the advisory committee on the MoI.
Tendulkar further added that BJP will support the ST, SC and minority cell morchas. Mentioning that the ST morcha will be held at Margao, on July 31 wherein around 1500 to 1800 karyakartas are expected to attend.
He also stated that the SC morcha will be held in Porvorim, on August 6 with 1000 karyakartas expected to participate. He added informed the minority cell morcha will be held on August 13 and that the Goa Pradesh Minority committee will be declared here.
