NT NETWORK
PANAJI
Stating that the Bharatiya Janata Party government in Goa is following the mantra – ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’– given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and hence will not be able to withdraw the grants given to the 100-odd English primary schools functioning under the Diocesan Society of Education and the Archdiocesan Board of Education, Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar said that his government however, still believes in the theory that the primary education should be conducted in the mother tongue for the comprehensive growth of the child.
The Chief Minister, during an interaction with the media persons on Sunday was responding to the advancement of deadline – from October 2016 to June 2016 – as given by the Bharatiya Bhasha Suraksha Manch to the government for withdrawing government grants to the English primary schools.
“The BJP government in the state, during its four-year tenure has already permitted opening of around 95 primary schools, with regional languages as their mediums of instruction,” Parsekar who also holds the education portfolio maintained, pointing out that his government just cannot withdraw the facility given to the public, even if it was started by some other government.
“My government is following the Modi mantra and taking all the components of the society along with it, on the path of progress and development so that people would enjoy the achche din,” he noted.
The Chief Minister also said that although he supports the demand of the Goans pertaining to special status for the state, the related decision is not in his hands.
“I am very well aware that the state legislative assembly had passed a related resolution unanimously and forwarded it to the Centre,” he observed, adding that the ball however is now in the court of the central government.
Maintaining that at least 10 other states have come up before the central government with similar demands, Parsekar said that this situation makes Goa’s case bleak before the Centre. “In fact, the right time to demand special status for Goa was 29 years ago when the then Union territory of Goa was accorded statehood, and those who claim to have obtained statehood for Goa, should have done it,” he opined, pointing out that Goa missed the bus then, and we all should accept this fact.
“Nevertheless, if the central government grants special status to Goa then I would be the happiest person,” the Chief Minister said, observing that one should not interpret his statements about special status to Goa, as his opposition for the same.