PANJIM: PWD Minister and Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) MLA Ramkrishna (Sudin) Dhavalikar has said that the Medium of Instruction (MoI) issue would be the major condition when deciding on the alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for the 2017 Assembly elections.
Speaking to the media, Dhavalikar said grants to the English medium schools should be stopped. “MGP is always with the local languages, no grants should be given to the schools except those in Marathi and Konkani,” he said. He added that MGP, an ally of the BJP, is supporting Bharatiya Bhasha Suraksha Manch (BBSM) on the MoI issue.
He also said that at internal meetings he has raised the issue several time with the government. Dhavalikar said that with English as the MoI, Goan culture would be hit and there won’t be any culture left.
“Why is the government constructing Kala Bhavans in the State? Who will come to these Bhavans if westernisation takes over Goan culture,” Dhavalikar asked.
BJP is facing a rift within the party with many MLAs openly speaking against the government’s decision to give grants to English medium primary schools. BJP MLAs, including Deputy Speaker Vishnu Surya Wagh and Panchayat Minister Rajendra Arlekar and others have raised the issue of MoI and spoken against the decision.
