PANAJI
The Bharatiya Bhasha Suraksha Manch (BBSM) on Thursday lashed out at BJP General Secretary Narendra Sawaikar’s comments calling for State Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Subhash Velingkar to join politics terming the party as ‘baap’ of lies.
Though Velingkar was not present for the press briefing held in Panaji, members of BBSM supported the RSS chief calling Sawaikar’s comments uncalled for.
“We condemn the words of Sawaikar saying that BJP was never part of BBSM. We never went to them, they came to us. They gave us their word that they would support us in our fight and even came with us for a press conference,” said BBSM leader Uday Bhembre adding that the party was making it out to be personal fight when the matter was a general one.
He said prior to the 2012 elections, Manohar Parrikar along with Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) representative Sudin Dhavalikar had approached members of the manch telling them they would support the issue of stopping grants to English medium schools. Based on this assurance, Bhembre said BBSM had shown their support to BJP.
Another BBSM leader, Arvind Bhatikar questioned Sawaikar’s ‘amicable solution’ comment saying there was nothing amicable about BJP's solution of continuing to give grants to English medium schools.
“Sawaikar had said the amicable solution was reached four years ago, but according to us, the best solution is to stop grants to these schools all together. It seems he is not aware of the issue or is creating trouble,” he said.
Condemning Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar’s comment that he and the party had never opposed grants to English primary schools, members of BBSM pointed to the year 2011 where BJP had opposed the idea. Parsekar, the then BJP president had demanded the then CM Digambar Kamat remove education minister Antansio Monserrate for his failure to handle the issue of grants to English primary schools.
Leader Pundalik Naik went on to defend Velingkar saying anything said against the RSS leader was also said to them. They reiterated their stand on the issue demanding the government stop grants to English medium schools and have announced that they would continue with their protest.
