Australia, Canada, England, US, etc, are all English speaking countries and if we want to be members of these nations, we have no choice but to learn English,”
Pratapsingh Rane,
Leader of the Opposition
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English is global language but don’t forget mother tongue: Rane
Globalized world has only one language, says Rane
Says Goans are smart and know what is good for them
THE GOAN NETWORK
MAPUSA
Laying stress on the importance of English in the changing world, Leader of the Opposition and senior Congressman Pratapsingh Rane on Sunday said in a globalized world there was only one language.
He also said one should not forget his mother tongue and anybody could learn “n” number of languages if one wished to.
The Leader of the Opposition was speaking as the chief guest at a function to felicitate meritorious students of SSC and HSSC from Tivim, organized by the Halarnkar Charitable Trust in Colvale.
“Australia, Canada, England, US, etc, are all English speaking countries and if we want to be members of these nations, we have no choice but to learn English,” Rane said.
“But I don’t say forget your language (mother tongue)… Konkani is my mother tongue and if I want I can learn Marathi too. I also know a little bit of Portuguese,” he said further.
The former chief minister said Goans were very smart people and they know what is good for them.
Rane’s views assume significance as it comes at a time when the RSS-backed Bharatiya Basha Suraksha Manch has been demanding Medium of Instruction for primary education in mother tongue and to stop grants to Church-backed English medium primary schools.
Shifting the focus on World Environment Day, the opposition leader called for sustained efforts to protect the earth and the environment.
“Man has been behaving recklessly and cutting down trees and destroying mother earth. There has to be a balance between the greed of the rich and the need of the poor,” Rane said.
He said one could dig the earth for its minerals but that has to be done within limits.
Former tourism minister Nilkant Halarnkar and senior politician Trajano D’Mello also spoke on the occasion.
Later, meritorious students of SSC and HSSC from Tivim were felicitated by Rane.
