BBSM seeks Shripad Naik's help to resolve MoI issue

Panaji, Jan 29: Bharatiya Bhasha Suraksha Manch (BBSM), a group propagating mother-tongue as the medium of instruction (MoI) in elementary education in Goa and stopping of grants to schools teaching in English medium, has now sought Union Minister Shripad Naik's help in the matter.

A BBSM delegation met Naik at his office here yesterday, seeking his intervention to resolve the issue. The social group has demanded that grants to 137 schools teaching in English medium should be discontinued.

Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar had earlier sought to distance himself from the ongoing controversy regarding the MoI in elementary education in the state.

"The MOI should be mother tongue. The current grants given to English medium schools is a temporary phenomenon," Naik told the BBSM delegation yesterday.

The Union Minister also said that the state government should come out with a proper MOI policy, putting to rest all doubts over the issue. "Whatever is permissible as per law should be done by the government," he said.

The BJP had in its 2012 Goa Assembly election manifesto assured to give MoI status to regional languages – Konkani and Marathi.

The BBSM had recently warned to begin campaign against the state government if it doesn't withdraw the grant given to English medium schools.

PTI