Herald: BJP claims that their amicable solution on MoI is highly appreciated across sections and that BBSM argument is pointless.
Pundalik Naik: Which section are they talking about? The BBSM, who had spearheaded the movement against then Congress government, is neither happy nor accepts the BJP’s so-called amicable solution. We went against Congress as they decided to give grants to English medium primary school, the illegal decision which was implemented by BJP.
Herald: So, here you indirectly want to say that BJP will also face the same consequence that the Congress faced? But for BJP, MoI is not major issue this election.
Naik: Very much and we are working in that direction. When we have not spared Congress who had just taken the decision, how can we allow BJP who have imposed the decision by betraying our trust go scot free? We will intensify our movement against BJP during the election period. MoI was one amongst the major issue that brought BJP to power in the 2012 election. They may deny that but it was one of the major issues. Thousands of people had come on to the streets. In the 2017 election also, MoI will play a big role and BJP will face the anger of the people.
Herald: Was the amicable solution of the BJP government to satisfy and gain confidence of minority or Catholic community?
Naik: Yes. The decision was only to satisfy the Catholic community as several Catholic MLAs had pitched in to win the confidence of their voters. But here too, this minority community is in fix with the government not ready to pass the MoI policy in the Assembly. They don’t want to make it a Bill and a law. Here they are using a blackmail kind of tactic against the English medium primary schools, giving the signal that by not introducing the Bill, they can withdraw grants anytime. The Central government is now coming up with their National policy on education, wherein it will be clear that primary education has to be in the mother tongue or official language and only those schools be given grants.
