MARGAO: Accusing the government of trying to scuttle its peaceful demonstration to be held on July 27, Forum for Rights of Children to Education (FORCE) called off its planned rally to the Assembly due to lack of permissions. However, it will continue its chain hunger-strike.
FORCE executive body members Savio Lopes, Cynthia Da Costa, Premanand Naik and Hugo Gonsalves said they had only one demand: the year-old cabinet decision on the medium of instruction (MoI) should be translated into an Act at the Assembly Monsoon Session.
FORCE secretary Savio Lopes, who will sit on a hunger strike, criticised the government for not allowing them their right to protest peacefully and accused them of creating obstacles by not providing permissions for the planned rally in Panjim and agitation at Azad Maidan. He added that if the government amended the Act as promised, FORCE would not have to agitate.
The agitation is the result of two general body meetings with parents across Goa. FORCE informed that the parents would be participating in the chain hunger strike on select days.
When asked if politicians had approached them, Savio stated that they had informed all MLAs who had contacted them and also demanded that the MLAs make their stand clear on the floor of the Assembly. He also questioned why their demand had not been fulfilled in the two previous Assembly sessions.
Replying to a query on whether they were holding the Education and Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar responsible, Savio stated that they did not want to single any person out. However, he added that Parsekar was head of state and that the government was trying to block their peaceful agitation.
Savio also said an assurance had been given to the parents and authorities that there would be no law and order situation. He criticised vested interests for trying to give a communal tag to their agitation and reiterated that FORCE was only for the purpose of medium of instruction.
When asked if they had any indication that the government was not going ahead with the promise made by the then Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, Savio said they had not received any such indication, but questioned the one-year delay when there was a series of consultations that led to the cabinet decision.
