It’s RSS versus BJP Goa govt battle on language row

It’s RSS versus BJP Goa govt battle on language row

Reporters Name | CAMIL PARKHE | Wednesday, 4 May 2016 AT 11:47 PM IST

    

Goa, language row, Camil Parkhe    http://goo.gl/JAiu3a

Language has always been a sensitive issue in Goa even when this tiny territory was ruled by the Portuguese over 450 years. Now, the latest row is over the medium of instruction in government-funded schools. For the past few months, Bharatiya Bhasha Suraksha Manch (BBSM), an association affiliated to the Sangh Parivar, has been spearheading an agitation to seek an end to government grants to the English medium schools. The BBSM wants the government grants to be given only to  schools having Marathi or Konkani as the medium of instruction. It is pertinent to note that a majority of the English medium schools receiving government grants are church-owned schools.

The issue of medium of instruction in school has threatened to become a major political issue in Goa which will face election early next year. The term of the BJP government in the state ends in March next year. The BJP which is already feeling the heat over the medium of instruction is trying to douse the fire, fearing loss of the minority Christian community’s vote in the elections. Ending the long period of political instability in the state, the BJP was able to form the government on its own five years ago, thanks to the social engineering introduced by the party’s leader and present Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar.

Despite the behind curtain manoeuvers by Parrikar and also Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar, the BBSM has refused to give up its demand for discontinuing the government grants to English medium schools with effect from the forthcoming new academic year.

It is not for the first time that Goa is facing a language row. Soon after the Portuguese established their political rule in Goa in the 16th century, the foreign rulers had imposed a ban on Marathi and Konkani languages and also books in these languages and enforced use of Portuguese. During the 1980s, Goa had witnessed a fierce agitation to seek official language status for Konkani and the rival group was in favour of Marathi as the official language. Ultimately, the then Chief Minister Pratapsingh Rane had led a sort of coup when he accorded official language status to Konkani and in the same stroke, gave the ‘equal’ status to Marathi as well. The master stroke worked as it satisfied both the warring groups although like in the past, it is English which has remained the de facto prominent language in the state.

For any political party to win a comfortable majority in Goa assembly, support of the Christian community is essential. The Catholic community is especially in sizeable number, especially, in south Goa.

Now, the row over the medium of instruction is seen as an open war between the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the Catholic Church. The BBSM has time and again appealed to Parsekar to share its dais and extend support to its demand. But having the forthcoming state polls in mind, both Parrikar and Parsekar have been reiterating their support to the regional language and in the same breath, saying that government grants to English medium schools will continue. It is a political stalemate and it will require political acumen to resolve the issue without risking the loss of power.