Parents defeated the bandh by accompanying children to school
By Nisser Dias
nisserdias at gmail.com
SMS to 9422437029
The all Goa bandh called by the Bharatiya Bhasha Suraksha Manch (BBSM)
to coincide with the re-opening of the academic year 2011-2012 to
protest the government’s decision to extend grant-in-aid to government
and aided schools who adopt English as one of the medium of instruction
(MOI) was defeated by the parents as they defiantly refused to boycott
school. The parents unitedly took their children to schools all over the
state to mark high percentage of attendance and also to convey a message
to the protestors that they do not have the support of the parents.
Members of BBSM, BJP, MGP, Shiv Sena and all those who actively
supported the bandh might shout from roof tops that it was successful
but what should be the parameters to decide its success. Should it be
blocking of highways, forcibly shutting down business establishments,
stoning and damaging government property, threatening motorists or
should it be the attendance in schools. If the latter is taken as the
sole parameter to decide the success then all those supporting the bandh
have failed miserably. If the attendance in schools is taken as the
parameter to decide the success of the bandh then the parents have
outright rejected BBSM and embraced the decision of the government
giving a choice to parents to educate their children.
Furthermore businessmen and entrepreneurs have not downed shutters
willingly or to show solidarity with the protestors. They have done so
out of fear of hooligans and goons who have entrenched themselves in
communal political parties like the BJP, MGP and Shiv Sena. For example
BJP’s candidate in Margao Sharmad Raiturkar was shown on local channels
threatening and coercing shop owners who defied the bandh call to close
down or face the consequences. And police instead of giving protection
to the businessmen looked as if they were personal body guards of
Raiturkar. Another personality of the saffron party who was leading BJP
vagabonds and hooligans was Rupesh Mahatme who has loads of experience
in vandalism and is alleged to have been a member of the Goan team that
had taken part in the demolition of Babri Masjid.
Another aspect of the bandh is that, the BBSM have been successful in
using force and violent means to close business establishments in the
state to the extent that many of the goons barged into various banks and
manhandled staff and forced them to close. However though most of the
entrepreneurs and banking staff saw to it that they dropped their
children to school. I expected Opposition leader Manohar Parrikar one of
the most qualified person in the state to display some dignity and
maturity but he himself was part of the hooligans and protestors roaming
the streets to forcibly closed down establishments and paralyze the state.
Infact Manohar Parrikar has no moral right to participate in the bandh
as in 2009 All Goa Unaided Schools Parents Association (AGUSPA) had
brought to his notice about the exploitation of parents by managements
of private unaided school and also the lack of opportunity for the lower
section of the society to study English. He promised a discussion but
never got round to doing it for almost two years.
His attitude brings a question to my mind, does education in Marathi of
which he is strong believer, inculcates intolerance, violence and
hooliganism. Otherwise why did Parrikar and BBSM fail to demand a
special assembly session to debate the matter before resorting to bandh?
Why did they not approach the High Court through writ petition before
causing hardship to the general public and loss to the state. This would
have an educated approach rather than using force to close down business
establishment, paralyzing movement and indulging in vandalism.
Ultimately, the protestors has achieved nothing by resorting to bandh on
the contrary they have lost their credibility and also sympathy from the
general public.
Shashikala Kakodkar a staunch supporter of Marathi who was by her
father’s side to merge Goa with Maharashtra has allegedly made some
communal statements like the government’s decision to give a choice to
the parents is an appeasement to the minority community. I simply cannot
understand why the minority is being targeted, if a demand is made for
Romi script, the minorities are blamed, demand for English as one of the
mediums of instruction fingers are pointed at minorities. Has this
protaganist of Marathi and lover of Maharashtra ever stopped to think or
rather check the percentage of students from the majority community
attending English medium private schools, has she the answers to the
high percentage of students from majority community attending schools
run by minorities who are dedicatedly imparting education to students
irrespective of caste, creed and religion. It would better for
septuagenarian Shashikala to check the fact and figures before trying to
communalize the issue and bring about a divide in the peaceful
co-existence of communities in the state.
Secondly her MGP party legislator Transport minister Sudin Dhavlikar is
on record stating that he would quit the cabinet if the government
extends grant-in-aid to government and aided schools adopting English as
MOI even though his children are being educated through English medium.
Parents who fought for the inclusion of English as MOI are waiting for
his resignation.
Conclusively, the purpose of all Goa bandh resorted to by BBSM and
actively supported by BJP, MGP and Shiv Sena was defeated by the people
and the parents by sending them to school on the opening day of the
academic year 2011-2012. (ENDS)
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First published in Gomantak Times, Goa - June 9, 2011
