Team Herald
PANJIM: In sheer contradiction to the party stand on the Medium of Instruction (MoI) issue, Congress Rajya Sabha member Shataram Naik has slammed the concept of “parents’ choice” to decide the MoI for their children at the elementary level.
The senior Congress leader raised questions on whether the people and the government are clear on what is the mother tongue of the State or that too depends on the parents’ choice.
Addressing the media on Tuesday, Naik, refusing to comment on whether grants should continue to English medium primary schools said, “The concept of given right to parent to choose MoI for their children is wrong. I don’t understand this concept. How can a parent decide? If tomorrow parents want their children to learn French at the primary level that means government will have to open French medium primary schools in the State,” the MP said.
Naik’s statement is contrary to his party stand, which is in favour of continuing grants to English medium primary schools. Leader of the Opposition Pratapsingh Rane is on record on the Floor of the House stating that it should be parents who choose the MoI for their children.
Earlier, Naik said that the Central government is in the process of drafting the new National Education Policy, the direction of which is towards saffronisation of the education system across the country. “Will have to wait and watch what the new policy speaks about the medium of instruction at the primary level,” he said.
The MP alleged that Union Minister for Human Resources Development (HRD) Smriti Irani had visited the RSS office to get feedback on the proposed new policy.
Naik also said that the Central government has not yet approved setting up of AIIMS-type super specialty hospital cum training institution in Goa, though the State government boasts of the same.
Quoting from a written reply tabled in the Rajya Sabha, Naik said that the setting up of AIIMS in Goa has not yet been approved but it may be considered in subsequent phases. “The respective State government is solely responsible to identify the site and provide land measuring around 200 acres free of cost for setting up of AIIMS,” the reply stated.
Naik said that the State will also have to undertake other infrastructure costs of the project.
He demanded that the Centre fund at least 50 percent of the value of the land acquired for setting up of a NIT at Cuncolim. An area of 112.86 acres of land has been identified for the institute.
Meanwhile, the ongoing Louis Berger bribery case, involving former Congress chief minister Digambar Kamat and former PWD minister Churchill Alemao, will not lead to any setback to the Congress party’s prospects in the 2017 Assembly elections, Congress Rajya Sabha MP Shantaram Naik said on Tuesday.
“The case will have no setback on Congress… Congress is a strong party and has been a people’s party. Why should this case have any impact on 2017 elections?” Naik asked, adding that the party’s supporters and people will decide the fate of Congress.
He, however, said, “People will not support any corrupt element.”
He demanded that the case be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). “Also, in view of the ramifications of the episode, the Chief Minister on the very first day said that the case would be handed over to CBI, then why is that Crime Branch (CB) is still investigating the case,” he asked.
Raising doubts on the investigations, Naik demanded that CB make it public whether the FIR was filed in a transparent manner.
