We took a collective decision to stick with the government’s stand on the MoI issue
- Laxmikant Parsekar, Chief Minister
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
INSTRUCTIONS OF THE BOSS
* Gather feedback from people in the wake of the BBSM holding meetings in various places mainly in the hinterland
* The idea is to publicly counter the BBSM with the government’s stand on the issue and the reasons behind it
* Ministers and MLAs should toe the line of the party and the government, which is to continue with the present policy
* Refrain from making comments on the MoI issue
---------------------------------------------------------------
PANAJI:
The meeting was held after the Chief Minister returned from his trip to Delhi where he met party leaders like Amit Shah as well as the Prime Minister and Union Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar.
“We took a collective decision to stick with the government’s stand on the MoI issue,” Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar, who is currently under fire not only from the BBSM but also his own ministers and MLAs each of whom have been speaking their mind on the issue over the past few weeks.
MLAs present in the meeting informed that the Chief Minister has given clear instructions, especially to those MLAs in the hinterland to gather feedback from the people in the wake of the BBSM holding meetings in various places mainly in the hinterland of the state.
“The idea is to publicly counter the BBSM with the government’s stand on the issue and the reasons behind it,” an MLA who didn’t wish to be named said.
Calangute MLA Michael Lobo who attended the meeting said that the chief minister was clear in his instructions that ministers and MLAs should toe the line of the party and the government, which is to continue with the present policy.
“He has asked us to refrain from making comments on the MoI issue,” Lobo said.
The meeting also discussed the issue of development works, with the MLAs seeking that with elections fast approaching, the government should speed up the clearances for civil works, some of which have been pending for a long time.
Despite the CM’s message, San André MLA Vishnu Wagh in comments made to the press, said that he stood his earlier stand the education needs to be in the mother tongue and that as a member of the BBSM he continues to stand by it.
Vishnu Wagh who was earlier a Congress partyman, quit the party after the Digambar Kamat government decided to give grants to Diocesan primary schools and joined the BJP. He subsequently contested on a party ticket and won the elections.Others who have made adverse comments include Environment Minister Rajendra Arlekar and Avertano Furtado, both on opposite sides of the fence.
-----------------
Strategic timeout: return
of Parrikar not ruled out
THE GOAN NETWORK
NEW DELHI: Defence Minister, Manohar Parrikar once again held his cards close to his chest but dropped subtle hints that he preferred to lead the State rather than steer the nation\'s defence ship.
However, Parrikar was quick to add that it would be a “very strategic decision” on whether to take up leadership of Goa during the 2017 assembly elections.
“The Chief Minister is the King of the State whereas a Union minister is a prince of the particular department,” said Parrikar, clearly indicating his choice.
The defence minister was speaking in an interactive session with a select group of journalists of Goa, Maharashtra and Gujarat at the sixth familiarisation programme in parliamentary processes and procedures for media persons in New Delhi on Tuesday.
\"A chief minister is the final authority in that State and as the CM of the state, I could give shape to many ideas/plans I have for the state,\" the defence minister said.
He acknowledged that going as the defence minister of the country was definitely a promotion.
\"Coming to Delhi was completely a new experience and I had to start all over again,\" he said.
He further clarified that the reports of change in leadership in the section of media in Goa was misleading and not true.
On whether he was inclined to take up leadership of Goa during the 2017 assembly elections, he said this would be a very strategic decision and won\'t be discussed with the press.
\"If I have to come to Goa in the assembly election, I will not tell the media. It will be a very strategic decision...,\" Parrikar said.
To a journo\'s question, the defence minister reiterated that the Goa government\'s stand on Medium of Instruction was that it should be in mother tongue.
\"Our policy is that MoI should be either in Konkani or Marathi,\" he said.
