MARGAO: Sending a warning loud and clear to the government that the patience of the parents is running out on the medium of instruction, a huge meeting of the Forum for Rights of Children’s Education (FORCE) has threatened to gherao Ministers and MLAs from the beginning of the academic year if their genuine and just demand to make English as the medium of instruction is not fulfilled by the government.
Thousands of parents assembled at the historic Lohia Maidan on Wednesday evening to voice their support for English as the medium of instruction. Armed with banners and placards, the people warned the government that they will not rest till English is made the medium of instruction from the coming academic year, saying their movement is neither communal nor political, but aimed at securing the future of their children.
Speakers lashed out at the government for its dilly dallying tactics and lambasted former chief minister Shashikala Kakodkar and others opposing English as the medium of instruction.
FORCE general secretary Savio Lopes thundered that the patience of the parents is running out and warned of drastic action. “We have formulated a plan of action. We don’t want to tell you today what we will do, but we are confident that the Ministers and MLAs will come begging to the parents to meet our demand as and when the Action Plan is implemented”, Lopes warned.
Saying that the government cannot be trusted any longer, he said the government had initially promised to fulfill the demand of the parents, only to later go back on its word. “The government thinks that the agitation will die down one day. But, they don’t know that the parents are ready to sacrifice for their children. Parents will not compromise on the future of their children”, he reminded.
Lopes said if the government is sincere, the issue can be resolved within two days time. “There’s no need to seek legal opinion on the issue, it will not take more than two days to solve the issue, but we want the government not to make statements but to take action”, he said, adding “the parents don’t want educationists to tell them what is good for the children’s future. We are ready to suffer and take full responsibility on the issue”.
In her address, Cynthia D’Costa said the parents demanding English as the medium of instruction are not against Konkani and Marathi and vowed to continue the battle till the last. Asserting that those demanding English are not anti-national, Cynthia demanded to know whether those running English schools are Maha anti-nationals
“We are not ready to listen anymore to the Ministers and MLAs. If our demand is not fulfilled, don’t keep quite. Tell them to give us our choice vis-à-vis medium of instruction or we have to give them our choice of candidates”, she asserted.
In his spirited address, Mariano Araujo warned that the time is running out for the government to act on the demands of the parents. Asserting that the parents will never compromise on its genuine demand in the interest and future of their children, he warned that the parents will be forced to take morchas to the residences of the Ministers and MLAs at the beginning of the coming academic year on June 6 if the demands are not fulfilled by then.
FORCE President Premanand Naik, Edgar Cota, Bashir Ahmed and others spoke at the impressive meeting. Benaulim MLA Mickky Pacheco along with ZP members Nelly Rodrigues and Wilfred D’Sa were spotted at the Lohia Maidan amongst the huge crowd in support of the demands of the parents.
What ever happen to the democratic rule in Goa? Is it only for ministers to ruin our beautiful Goa? If the peoples demand isn't met through a democratic process then an alternative method must be sought by the citizens of Goa.At this moment in time FORCE must be supported as the are for the future of our children to mold them for a better future. All other non-Goan languages have introduced and encouraged crime and corruption into Goa.
ReplyDeleteMy appeal to FORCE is do not give up and do not make it a one stop show, take the fight to every corner of Goa. Konkani is our mother tongue but English is widely spoken in the international markets, If Goa is to take itself forward or encourage international tourism English is essential. Those who want Marathi or any other languages of their states in Goa should go back to their won states. Please support FORCE.
ReplyDeletePlease.. Please do not let Churchill or any other minister fight for our rights now. If these SOB's wanted they would have helped us earlier. Now they will come to arselick everyone and gain mileage from this event. We are in this predicament is mainly because of their greed and stupidity. Unqualified and Illiterate imbeciles have no right to represent us. Are we so backward that we have no Smart ,literate, knowledgeable and HONEST people to represent us? Keep these hyena's at bay and in the next elections lets bring them down and then account them for every penny they have stolen from us. With that money believe me you we can make Goa the most prosperous nation as this amount will be running into billions of dollars.
ReplyDeleteClunha, you are right, FORCE must keep this pig from Varca and Heina from Banaulim away from this struggle, we people can fight this cause till the end without the help of this illiterate bas..rds. I am sure these rogues will make their presence felt to draw mileage due to elections are nearing. PLEASE! kick them out of this issue and let's support GRE in the next election. Let us give a chance to GRE and see what the outcome would be.
ReplyDeleteTo Savio Lopes, I hope you will keep this pressure mounting and we can bring to system to a stand still. I hope Savio you havent forgotten the good old days of 87 -88.
ReplyDeleteTodays politicians we have are nothing but mere traitors. Their promises are nothing but mere illusions. They are out to fool and loot the people. They have ensured their children the best education in English medium schools and at the same time have looted enough to provide their offsprings over seas education/tarining if need be., YET these very politicians fail to see this need for other children. This is nothing but selfish interest exposed.
It many a times confuses me as to how these illiterate people in power take descissions for which they have absolutely NO KNOWLEDGE . My wishes that this formed group " FORCE" stands the test of time and the children of today and tomorrow can see a brighter future ahead.
We have patience running out in every bad deeds our Ministers are involved in, yet come election time the same persons will be elected. The same half educated ministers pretend to be on Goans side specially just before the elections, the rest of the time are quietly robbing us of our rights and properties. Let us stick together for every reasonable demand we make.
ReplyDeletewhy Goan should say no to Medium of Instruction ?
ReplyDeleteA bunch of idiots in Goan Parliament want to follow foot steps country's like France ,Germany, Holland, and now Malaysia
this power-full country's can create thousands of jobs every year…….. How many job’s can a small state like GOA CAN create ? Every year thousand of student are graduated form college and university and they have to leave our mother land for better prospect if our Goverment can create job’s and build affordable housing for our people every thing can be great ...