-- Samir Umarye BICHOLIM/ VALPOI: Demonstrations by activists of Bharatiya Bhasha Suraksha Manch against English medium in primary schools marred the inauguration of the Bicholim bridge held on Saturday morning.
Holding black flags the protesters including locals and Bharatiya Janata Party supporters gathered near the Bicholim bridge and shouted slogans against the government led by the Chief Minister, Mr Digambar Kamat who inaugurated the new bridge by unveiling the plaque in the presence of state assembly Speaker, Mr Pratapsingh Rane, PWD Minister, Mr Churchill Alemao, BMC chairperson, Ms Anisha Vernekar and others. The activists later marched to the Bicholim municipal hall where a function was being held to mark the inauguration. Seventeen activists were arrested by the Bicholim police as they tried to enter the hall. Suspecting law and order problem, the police took the arrested protesters to the Valpoi police station at around 12:45 p.m in a police van. Meanwhile, many BJP supporters including former Speaker of Goa legislative assembly, Mr Narhari Haldankar gathered at the police station demanding immediate release of the activists. Police asked the activists to sign a bond before release. Refusing to sign the bond, the activists shouted anti-government slogans and asked the police to take them back to Bicholim. Later, they were all taken back to the Bicholim police station. In Bicholim, the North Goa MP, Mr Shripad Naik and MLA, Mr Laxmikant Parsekar condemned the action against the agitators, who they claimed were opposing the government decision on MoI issue in a most-democratic manner. Mr Naik also addressed a meeting of Bicholim residents and supporters of regional languages at Bicholim in the evening. Earlier, addressing the gathering at the bridge inaugural function held at BMC hall, the Chief Minister, Mr Digambar Kamat defended the decision to provide grants to English- medium schools. He said that the government has already taken its decision and now it is up to the parents to take a call on sending their wards to appropriate schools. Mr Kamat’s views were seconded by the PWD Minister, Mr Churchill Alemao. The BMC chairperson, Ms Anisha Vernekar and vice-chairperson, Mr Shashikant Naik-Halarnkar sounded ecstatic over the completion of the new bridge.(NT)
