PANAJI
Offering comments on the back of Environment Minister Rajendra Arlekar’s comments that there is no need to pass the MoI bill, D’Souza said that it was Arlekar’s personal opinion and went on to give his own opinion.
“My opinion is that parents have a right to decide. I am a strong Konkani wadi. Just because I’m a Konkani wadi, I won’t impose my ideas on others. This is democracy... you have to understand. In democracy, the majority view prevails. We have to respect the choice of the parents,” D’Souza said in comments that are likely to cause a flutter.
“Many people love Konkani but want their wards to study in English schools. Leave the choice to the parents. We have no other alternative,” D’Souza said. D’Souza said that the government schools were shutting down because people were migrating to English schools.
“If all the children come to English schools the other schools will shut down. That is what was happening all this time. People migrated to good schools, If all schools are great, then very well, but some schools have more demand than others because they teach well,” D’Souza said.
Asked whether his views reflected that of the previous Congress Government, D’Souza said: “We have no other alternative. It will come to that.” D’Souza however said that the final decision will have to be taken by the government. “This is for the government to decide. These are my personal views. If you want the government’s views it is what the chief minister says. I love Konkani, I speak in Konkani, by I can’t have my view prevail,” he said.
Two from govt don’t agree with Arlekar
MARGAO: In a development which showed signs of a divide within the ruling combine over the MoI,
two Independent MLAs from Salcete supporting the BJP-led government, including Fisheries Minister, Avertano Furtado on Tuesday termed the statement made by Panchayat Minister, Rajendra Arlekar on the contentious MoI issue as “wrong”, even as they demanded continuance of grants to the English medium primary schools.
Velim MLA Benjamin D’Silva even went to the extent of condemning Arlekar’s statement, saying that it’s because of such statements that people accuse the government for the U-turns on various burning issues.
