Anti-English protestors threaten Goa shut down Monday

Panaji: Agitators have vowed to shut down Goa Monday in protest against the government's decision to provide grants to schools where education is imparted in English.

Bharatiya Bhasha Shiksha Mandal (BBSM), a grouping of politicians, right-wing political parties, freedom fighters and litterateurs, which has taken up cudgels against English has called for state-wide shutdown.

The academic year in Goa's schools begins Monday.

"Whenever there are agitations to save Indian languages, people have sacrificed their lives. This time too, we are ready to lay our lives. Indian languages have survived because of the masses and not on political patronage," Pundalik Naik, a national literary award winner and a member of the BBSM, said.

Former chief minister Shashikala Kakodkar, who is the convenor of the BBSM, said the Congress-led coalition government in the state had bulldozed and granted financial aid two weeks back to schools teaching in the English language.

"This move will finish off regional languages. The government's promotion of the English language is anti-national. We have received support from across the party lines, even the Congress MLAs (legislators) are supporting us in defiance of the party decision," she said.

The Goa government was offering aid and grants only to schools which teach in Konkani or Marathi. A cabinet decision May 25 allowed English language schools to also avail the government's financial grants.

The Forum for Rights of Children's Education (FORCE), a parents' front backed by a large section of Catholic politicians and the clergy, has backed English as the medium of instruction. The BBSM, supported by a section of freedom fighters and rightwing protagonists and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), backs both Konkani and Marathi languages as the medium of instruction.


 

                                           Home | Top of the Page

Top Stories

Police break up Ramdev's anti-corruption fast, protest venue cleared

Hundreds of police swooped on the Ramlila ground here just after midnight Saturday and forcibly removed Baba Ramdev after dispersing his restive supporters with tear gas and batons, ending a high-profile   »

Thousands lend support to Ramdev; Digvijay slams 'five-star satyagraha'

Communalism dangerous than corruption, Ramdev fast political conspiracy'

  Most Read

Ramdev a 'face of RSS', says government justifying crackdown

Accusing him of being a front for the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS), the government Sunday said the action against Ramdev and his supporters was justified. "Today it  »

Civil society members divided over Ramdev's fast

Even as yoga guru Baba Ramdev Saturday drew thousands of supporters at the Ramlila Ground here for his fast against black money, some civil society members present at a similar fast by social   »

Ramdev an attention seeker, fast a sham: Netizens

  News Pick

Andhra assembly adjourns, TDP fumes as trust move is ignored

The Andhra Pradesh assembly was Saturday adjourned without taking up no-confidence motion moved by Telugu Desam Party (TDP)  »

Maharashtra's 'Mother of Orphans' wins Woman Of The Year Award

Born as an unwanted child and bred in poverty and obscurity, eminent social worker Sindhutai Sapkal, who is known as the 'Mother of Orphans' in Maharashtra, has been conferred the  »

Mamata orders judicial probe into Bengal legislator's death

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Saturday ordered a judicial inquiry into the alleged suicide of Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) legislator  »

CPI-M legislator jumps to death in Bengal

Gutka pouches worth Rs.one million seized in Goa

The food and drugs administration (FDA) department of Goa Saturday arrested a couple and seized nearly Rs.1 million worth gutka pouches from them, police said. The couple, identified as Ravindra Matkar and Rohini Matkar, were  »

Netanyahu and Obama: What's the difference?

Two speeches made by a President and a Prime Minister within the short span of three days confirm what we have known all along: the US and Israeli governments have no interest in a just solution to the Israel-Palestine  »

Picture of the Day

Fes Festival of World Sacred Music brings top multi-faith musicians and global audiences to the ancient Moroccan city of Fez.

(Photo: IANS)