Goa: BJP plans state-wide agitation on MoI issue

Panaji (Goa): The BJP has decided to hold its own agitation against the state government over the medium-of-instruction (MoI) issue, even as opposition leader Manohar Parrikar says he will issue a notice to the chief secretary and education secretary, alleging that the circular is "illegal".

The BJP held a special meeting on Sunday evening to discuss the MoI issue, where party leaders from different constituencies dwelt on the matter and suggested strategies to put chief minister Digambar Kamat on the mat. When contacted, BJP spokesperson, Fatorda MLA Damodar ‘Damu’ Naik declined to comment on the kind of agitation that the party will launch across the state. "You will come to know about it soon," he said.

"The party’s stance is the same. We support only regional language for medium of instruction from Class I to IV. We have no problem if English is the medium of instruction from Class V," he added.

Naik said that the BJP supports the suggestion of appointing an English teacher or having remedial teaching for children to pick up English in primary schools, where the medium of instruction is in the regional language.

Parrikar, meanwhile, said that he will issue a notice within a couple of days to the chief secretary and the education secretary. " The MoI circular is illegal. It has to be withdrawn as it is against the Goa Education Act," he said.

When asked to comment on the recent statement made by chief minister Kamat, who said that parents had a democratic right to choose the medium of instruction for their children and the government could not deprive them of their democratic right, Parrikar replied: " I think the CM is ignorant because his own circular says that unless there are 20 students opting for a particular MoI, they will not get it. If there are 19 parents choosing a particular MoI, then the parents will not get the choice for their children. So, how is the CM’s statement practical?"

Source: TOI