Thaindian News

Panaji, Dec 15 (IANS) Intellectuals, literatteurs, educationists, retired bureaucrats and freedom fighters will greet Congress president Sonia Gandhi with black flags during her brief visit to Goa on Dec 17.

Speaking to reporters in Panaji, Sahitya Akademi award winner Uday Bhembre said Sonia was morally responsible for the destruction of what he called the ‘unique Goan identity’.

“Sonia Gandhi’s Congress is slowly destroying Goa’s unique identity by killing the regional languages and promoting English in schools. The decision was taken by the party high command. We do not want her here. Sonia Gandhi is not welcome,” said Bhembre, who was formerly head of the state Congress unit’s think tank.

Bhembre is a senior functionary of the ‘Bharatiya Bhasha Suraksha Samiti’(BBSM), which has been campaigning against the Congress-led coalition government’s decision to bring English on par with regional languages as far as the medium of instruction in schools is concerned.

Bhembre also accused Gandhi and the Congress of “leading Goa the Nagaland way”, where English was destroying the regional languages and cultural influences in the state. “Sonia Gandhi’s Congress wants Goa to be another Nagaland, where the English language has played havoc with regional sensibilities,” he said.

Former chief minister Shashikala Kakodkar, also a part of BBSM said the Congress president had no business coming to Goa, because of the disservice done to the state by the party, of which she is at the helm.

“The medium of instruction decision which favours English was taken by the Congress high command. She is responsible for the decision and needs to be shown the exit door from Goa,” Kakodkar said.

Sonia Gandhi is scheduled to address a public meeting in Goa Dec 17, two days before the celebrations of the state’s 50th anniversary of liberation Dec 19.