CANACONA
The Bharatiya Bhasha Suraksha Manch (BBSM), Canacona branch, has decided to boycott the birthday celebrations of Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and also protest on the Liberation Day for government's apathy in continuing grant-in-aid to English primary schools in the State.
At the BBSM meeting at Shishu Vatika, Xeller in Canacona, members present under the leadership of Canacona BBSM president Babu Komarpant discussed the turnaround of the defence minister instead of doing what the party and Parrikar promised during the last Assembly poll.
“We waited patiently as after assuming the charge of chief minister, Parrikar assured to immediately stop grants to English primary schools run by Church bodies. But nothing of that sort happened and instead the BJP government went on delaying to stop grants to church-run English primary schools,” recollected a member.
The members said to show and express their sentiments, they will boycott the 60th birthday celebrations of Parrikar on December 13. None of the BBSM members will take part in the celebrations.
Incidentally, the meeting was basically convened for ground preparatory works and future course of action to launch state-wide protest against the government for continuing to grant government aid to English medium primary schools and demand its immediate withdrawal.
The members were then guided on various plans being chalked out including the State level protest on December 19, while State is observing Liberation Day. “There will be protests all over the State. In Canacona alone, over 300 BBSM lovers will protest,” said a member.
BBSM has reportedly formed cells including Sangh Parivar, students, cultural clubs, Mahila (self help groups) and other like-minded people/groups to come out and protest.
“BBSM decided to put a joint struggle of Marathi and Konkani lovers to achieve what it state’s is the best for the state, as also politicians are asked not to harp and play vote bank politics. We also appeal all the like-minded people including the local MLA to join us,” stated BBSM activist Jeteendra Amshekar and Sahitya Awardee Kamlakar Mhalshi.
Vallabh Tengse, Satish Bhat, Anil Kamat, Anant Gaonkar, Yeshwant Gaonkar, Ramakant Bandekar, Ulhas Pai Bhatikar, Dr Divarkarji Velip, Sarvesh Hegde and Ajit Poinguinkar expressed their views during the meeting.
