Anti-English protestors block highway in Goa
May 27th, 2011 - 5:45 pm ICT by IANSPanaji, May 27 (IANS) A group of protestors blocked the national highway in Goa to protest the state government’s decision to give grants to schools where English is the medium of instruction, saying it will be a death knell for regional languages.
The agitators, who are part of the Bharatiya Bhasha Suraksha Manch (BBSM), blocked the national highway at Porvorim, 30 km from here.
“If the Congress-led coalition government does not roll back its decision than we will be forced to have a mass agitation,” said Shashikala Kakodkar, former chief minister and convenor of BBSM, threatening an all-Goa bandh June 6.
The debate in Goa comes against the backdrop of the central Right to Education (RTE) Act, which envisions the child’s mother tongue - in Goa’s case largely Konkani or Marathi — as the medium of instruction. The act is scheduled to be ratified in the state legislative assembly soon.
Until Wednesday, the Goa government offered aid and grants only to schools in which Konkani or Marathi is used to teach. A cabinet decision May 25, allowed English schools to avail government grants.
- Goa's medium of instruction issue takes communal turn - May 24, 2011
- English, regional languages battle it out in Goa - Mar 23, 2011
- Fissures in Goa coalition over medium of instruction - Mar 26, 2011
- Anti-English protestors threaten Goa shut down Monday - Jun 05, 2011
- Delhi meeting to discuss Goa's linguistic deadlock - May 12, 2011
- Ramdev backs regional languages over English in schools - Mar 25, 2011
- Goa Church backs English as teaching medium - Mar 30, 2011
- Boycott Goa chief minister: Congress ideologue - Jun 14, 2011
- Goa wears deserted look due to anti-English bandh - Jun 06, 2011
- Black flags to greet Sonia Gandhi in Goa - Dec 15, 2011
- On-road protests to lend new focus to Goa film fest - Nov 22, 2011
- Goa freedom fighters oppose patronage to English - Jun 13, 2011
- Thousands in Goa demand English as medium of instruction - Mar 21, 2011
- English or Konkani: Goa debates on what to use in schools - Mar 20, 2011
- Freedom fighters to skip Goa liberation celebrations - Dec 08, 2011
Tags: agitators, backdrop, bandh, bbsm, cabinet decision, chief minister, coalition government, convenor, death knell, goa government, government grants, legislative assembly, mass agitation, mother tongue, panaji, protestors, regional languages, rte, shashikala, state government