PANJIM: Deputy Speaker Vishnu Surya Wagh embarrassed his government when he stated that a major reason for demands for grants for English schools was due to continuance rejection to Konkani in the Romi script.
Participating in the discussion on Budget 2016-17 Wagh said, “Primary education must be in the mother tongue and that is every government’s responsibility. When the grants were given for MoI in mother tongue most of the schools accepted it including the Diocesan schools, however today, they are ones demanding grants to English.”
The major reason for this, he said, is compulsion to teach Konkani in the Devnagri script. “Most of them do not know Devnagri script and if permission is granted for Konkani in the Roman script things would be different,” he said.
“It is because the Romi script is being rejected, MoI in Konkani is being opposed,” Wagh said urging the government to allow Konkani in Romi script.
He said this will resolve the issue and help children. “Practically this is a better option. Some people may challenge it but the problem would be solved, I feel,” he said.
Wagh also today demanded that the government levy a cess on all devasthans and temples whose annual income is above a certain slab.
“Some devasthans and temples’ annual income is huge and I have never heard them using it for social causes like old age homes or child care centres,” Wagh said. He stated that the money is only utilized for buying things for the temple like gold kalash etc.
