TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: BJP’s St Andre legislator Vishnu Wagh, has dared his party to expel him for joining the agitation against the government’s medium of instruction (MoI) policy. The dharna spearheaded by the Goa Rakhan Manch threatened to dethrone the Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, claiming that it was because of them that the BJP had come to power in the 2012 assembly elections.
The group mainly comprising students and some members of the Bharatiya Bhasha Suraksha Manch sought a public apology from Parrikar for “betraying” the people.
“I am publicly opposing the policy. If the BJP has the guts, it can expel me,” Wagh, said. The MLA has rocked the boat after the assault on him and failure of the chief minister to arrest the culprits.
He charged his party of betraying the people on the MoI issue saying “I will not keep quiet. I will come out in the open (to oppose the issue).”
Wagh together with Parrikar and others of the BBSM had supported the use of regional languages – Konkani and Marathi as medium at the primary level, against English.
In 1983, it was the government headed by Pratapsingh Rane that decided that Konkani or Marathi be made a compulsory subject in all English medium
1990 Education Minister Shashikala Kakodkar decided that grants would be given only to those primary schools which have mother tongue as the medium of instruction, following which many primary schools switched over to Konkani/Marathi medium.
BBSM member Uday Bhembre said that the government had not taken him into confidence while framing the MoI policy. He said that they were called one hour before the cabinet meeting and were told about the decision. There was not time to react. Informing is not consulting he said. “We will not get fooled in future. Parrikar should publicly ask for forgiveness for betraying Goans,” he said.
Goan Rakhan Manch warned the BJP that it was because of them that the party came to power and they could throw it out of power.
Before the government announced the policy, it had constituted the Goa school education advisory council to advise the government on matters of policy relating to education in the state including the medium of instruction. The council that is headed by the education minister, who is the chief minister himself, is constituted under section 34 of Right to Education Act, 2009.
According to the announced policy, all secondary schools other than Konkani or Marathi medium schools would teach Konkani or Marathi as one of the subjects from class V to Class X. Also salary grants shall be permitted to all minority primary schools that besides teaching in Konkani or Marathi, teach also in English. Also institutions opting for English medium for teaching other subjects shall be provided by the government bi-lingual books (having English along with Konkani / Marathi text) for use in schools and use of bi-lingual in teaching will be permitted to explain difficult topics to the students.
In 2011, there was a demand from section of parents asking for grants to English medium primary schools at the primary level in G.I.A. institutes. The then government agreed to the demand resulting in 135 institutions mostly in Konkani shifting to MOI in English overnight. Parrikar has persisted with this decision in his new policy under the rights of minorities clause of the Constitution.
