PANAJI
Viewing the issue of Medium of Instruction (MoI) as distinct from the issue of Official Language Act, which has been gaining ground of late, three independent MLAs Vijai Sardesai, Rohan Khaunte and Naresh Sawal announced that their stand on MoI will be finalised only after the Select Committee on MoI Bill comes out with its decision and the final draft of the bill is made available.
Bicholim MLA Naresh Sawal stated, “We do not side with any of the groups voicing concerns over the MoI until the nature of the Bill itself becomes clear.”
Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai, however, sought to question the 11 legislators who visited MoI agitators at Azad Maidan a few months back over the issue. “The government had made a solemn commitment that the MoI Bill would be introduced in this session and has violated it. I challenge the 11 legislators to respond to this,” Sardesai said.
Making a sharp allegation, Sardesai held that MoI and language issues are diversionary tactics adopted to distract the public from real concerns. He stated, “Language fanaticism is being brought in by the government as there is no development to show for almost four years of its tenure.”
When asked if he sides with the Bharatiya Bhasha Suraksha Manch (BBSM) or Forum for Rights of Children’s Education (FORCE), Sardesai said, “I am not with BBSM. I am with the aspirational class of Goa at this point. Parents send their children to schools and not mediums. Hence, MoI issue is rendered irrelevant.”
Interestingly, the three MLAs differed on the issue of Official Language Act. While Sawal supported the cause of Marathi, Sardesai sided with Konkani and Khaunte refused to disclose his stand on the matter.
