"Status Quo" is another word for "No!"
(Medium of Instruction)
By Wilmix Wilson Mazarello
The Government of Goa’s response to the Parent-Teacher's demand for
English as the Medium of Instruction in Government-aided Schools, was on
expected lines.
When the Government wants to say "No!", but is afraid of the people’s
reaction, it just says “Status Quo”.
That’s how our Government operates.
In fact, this is how the present Government of Goa has been functioning,
right from day one.
Not a single Government’s Project in Goa has ever had the backing of the
entire Government.
Let’s keep the Opposition Party out of this, for the present.
The various Congress Lobbies within the Government themselves will not
support any of their own party’s Projects.
Further the Coalition partners in the Government have their own varying
points of view.
The “Net-Result” being, even before a Bill reaches the Assembly, there
is no common ground of agreement on the subject, among the Ministers
themselves.
What then follows is a “Status Quo”, meaning “Let’s not do it for the
present”.
Quite often “Let’s not do it for the present’ ends in “Not doing it at all”.
Who is the sufferer ? Obviously, it’s the people of Goa.
So many good Projects are simply shelved, only because everyone in our
Government has his own “ego” to be satisfied first.
Development in Goa comes to a stand-still, because of individual
Politician’s “egos”.
If you ask the Government “Why?”. They have a ready reply “Political
Compulsions of a Coalition Government”
What nonsense! Where is the place for “Political Compulsions”, when the
concerned Project is for the common good of Goa and Goans ?
Whom is the Government trying to fool ? These are frank cases of the
Government taking the common man for a ride.
In the present situation of “Medium of Instruction”, there is hardly any
room for “Political- Compulsions” or a “Status Quo’.
An absolute majority of parents want English as the Medium of
Instruction in Government –aided Schools.
Parents are the ultimate judges of what is best for their children.
So where is the chance of even an iota of doubt ?
It’s the parent’s money and the parents are telling the Government, how
best to spend it on their children. The parents are also telling the
Government, sufficiently in advance, ie. 3 months before the next
academic year begins.
So where is the question of delaying the decision ? Where lies the “hitch”?
Can a handful of the Government’s henchmen, hold the future of our
children to ransom ?
And, where are those M.L.A s now, who attended the Rally at Azad Maidan,
who lent their support to the Parents’ Demands ?
Or, was that only an “eyewash” ?
Well, many times these M.L.A s and Ministers have managed to slip-out of
the “People’s Net”.
This time, however, things are different. The “Net” is very secure.
There are no holes in the “Net” for slimy M.L.A s to slip out this time.
The thousands of Parents are determined to make this as an “Election-Issue”
The popular slogans, this time will be “Do it or Get out”. “You are with
us or You are against us”. “Don’t Sacrifice our Children’s future to
secure your Future’.
The people of Goa are not willing to accept any “Status Quo” this time.
They know, for sure, that for our Government, “Status Quo” is just
another word for “No!”.
The people of Goa now say to the Ministers & M.L.A s, if your answer is
a “No” for us, then we will also have a “No” for you, in the forthcoming
Assembly Elections.
The People of Goa are not “dumbos’. Over the years they have learnt to
see through the Government’s usual game of “buying time” ie. saying
“Staus Quo’ when in reality they want to say ”No”.
