Parents were visibly furious as they agitated and each MLA was reprimanded for the failure of the government not to resolve the medium of instruction issue despite having been in power for four years and were told that this was the reason why the previous government fell.
Parents rejected assurances that it would be taken up in the next assembly session and the explanation that the MLAs had met the Bishop and the chief minister and FORCE secretary Savio Lopes about the same. The Catholic MLAs supporting the government when asked to talk about their meeting with the Archbishop pointed out that in the past, it was Parrikar who had interacted with the Bishop and FORCE on the MOI issue and thus assurances had been given by Parrikar and as far as they were concerned they had also sought the same assurances from the government especially in the last year given the rising anger of the parents before the opening of schools.
Parents demanded that the MLAs raise the issue in the assembly session on Friday itself and get the cabinet note passed last year converted into the act and cautioned them about testing their patience in view of Savio’s indefinite hunger strike.
In Velim, the parents first met the MLA Benjamin Silva at his residence at Ambelim and further carried out as rasta roko protest at the Chinchinim highway junction. It was only after Benjamin assured that he would take up the issue in the assembly was he allowed to leave.
There was a similar situation at Navelim as huge crowds converged before Fisheries minister Avertano Furtado and the area near the Navelim Rosary church.
Elsewhere outside the collectorate in Fatorda, Curtorim MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco met with the crowds that had gathered and also interacted with crowds at Pirni and Verna. Reginaldo listened to the people and said that he was supporting the people and had raised the issue in the assembly and criticized the government for keeping the people waiting. Benaulim MLA Caitu Silva was successful in breaking the roadblock at Colva and Benaulim-Khareband junction after listing out all that he had done.
