the goan I network
PANAJI
Officials of the Education Department were left red-faced after a scathing speech delivered by a 14-year-old Std VIII student at an official function co-organised by it tore into the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).
The speech which went viral on local WhatsApp networks, was severely critical of CAA calling it “murder of the Constitution” and stoked up a political controversy of sorts. It prompted a prominent ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader, Siddharth Kuncolienkar to take to Twitter to air his objection to a government platform being used for anti-government propaganda.
The girl, Diksha Talaulikar, who is studying in St VIII of Maria Bambina High School in Cuncolim, spoke for a little under five minutes but used powerful words to express her angst against the legislation which has triggered nationwide protests, mostly spearheaded by students.
Talaulikar termed the CAA as amounting to the Constitution’s murder and that of its values.
Interestingly, the event was arranged by the Education Department to commemorate the 70th Anniversary of the adoption of the Constitution.
“And today this bill discriminates them (Muslims), thus making a mockery of my fundamental duty to promote harmony and the spirit of common brotherhood among people transcending religion, region and linguistic diversities. The country is burning. The soul of the Constitution, the Preamble, the liberty, equality and fraternity has been murdered,” Talaulikar said in the speech.
Goa’s Advocate General, Devidas Pangam, was present in the audience when Talaulikar made the speech at the auditorium of the National Institute of Oceanography (NIO), Dona Paula, on Thursday.
The unexpected speech by the child, meanwhile has put officials of the Education Department, particularly IAS officer Vandana Rao who heads it, in a tight spot.
Kuncolienkar, a former legislator, has called for severe action by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, who also holds the education portfolio.
The Opposition Congress, meanwhile, said in a statement laced with sarcasm that Rao should be made the spokesperson of the BJP
Talaulikar further said in her speech: “Shattered as I see young students and citizens, who are mostly Hindus, protesting to clarify the Indian Citizenship Amendment bill 2019, that has been passed by the Parliament which has murdered the Constitution that upheld the right to equality, thus discriminating our Muslim brothers and sisters who are made to feel different in this country. Did not our Muslim brothers sacrifice to give us the freedom that we enjoy today?”
“Are not the secular ideas of our Constitution makers destroyed? My dear friends, most of the Constitution makers in the assembly were Hindus. But they never thought of breaking the secular fabric of India. Today, for the sake of greed to remain in power ideologies are imposed on citizens,” Talaulikar further said.
Kuncolienkar meanwhile tweeted: “@BJP4Goa’s #Education Dept toes line of #CAA_NRC_Protest by anti #CAA speech at official prog alleging @narendramodi murders #constitution.”
He also urged Sawant that his government acts sternly in the matter.
