The BBSM was quoted as saying that “the stir (on 6th June) will be peaceful”. Can a “stir” be peaceful? If it is a stir, it is not likely to be peaceful. If it is peaceful, then it was not a stir. A STIR means “agitation”. To STIR means “to incite someone”, “to excite the emotion of someone”.
It means “to cause trouble intentionally”. In other words, the BBSM was bent on creating a stir, on creating trouble and was banking on the people to stay calm in the face of provocation. In fact, they would be happy to blame the people for creating trouble.
It was the mouthpiece of the BBSM, Shashikala Kakodkar, who went round the commercial capital requesting (or was it demanding?) that the shopkeepers keep their establishments closed and ensure a peaceful bandh. On the other hand, she made sure her supporters would resort to violence – stoning of buses and shops, threats, blocking of roads and so on. Why didn’t “Tai” ask the supporters of the BBSM to ensure a peaceful bandh? Without use of violence to “enforce” what it described as voluntary? It was a repetition of an episode that I had read about, when citizens were “forced” to donate “voluntarily” some money for General Vassalo e Silva’s stars.
The bandh was shown to be “voluntary” and “successful” by threats and coercion. Many shopkeepers kept their establishments closed for fear of damage to their shops from stone pelters of the BBSM. Not because they adhered to the cause.
The Maharashtrawadis are known for their one-point agenda – merger of Goa into Maharashtra. They will leave no stone unturned to ensure the development of Marathi in Goa in the guise of protecting “Konkani” culture so as to facilitate the merger bid.
On the other hand, their hypocritic partner, the BJP is demanding an Assembly session to discuss the government decision on the issue of medium of instruction. It was the Legislative Assembly of Goa that enacted the law by which the government could not discriminate on the grant of aid to schools on the basis of language adopted by the school at the primary level. But the government conveniently violated this law to deny grants to schools having English as the medium of instruction at the primary level. If government has the powers to go against the law enacted by the Assembly, it also has the power to make good whatever wrong was done, without going back to the Assembly. The BJP should actually have demanded this – that government extend grants to schools with English at the primary, as per law enacted by the Assembly. And the MGP should second this demand. Their demand to the contrary goes to prove the hypocrisy of the brothers-in-arms.
3 comments:
It is now an open secret that the hypocrites who claim to "whole heartedly" support vernacular at primary level actually send their wards to English medium schools. They even impart primary education in English. Clearly, it is in English that their whole heart lies (pun intended).
It is also clear that the BJP and MGP do not have the capacity to organize a peaceful bandh, because they ensure that their supporters resort to violence against those who defy them or do not adhere to their demands to shut Goa. They cannot also ensure people's cooperation or willing adherance to a bandh. Most of those who close their shops or institutions, apparently joining the bandh, do so for fear of reprisals or damage by the stone-pelters and other members of the goonda brigade of the organizers.
It is only after resorting to violence that they claim success in enforcing a bandh, because, after all, the bandh has been enforced. I repeat, it was not willingly accepted and adhered to, but enforced through violence or threat of violence.
The "bandh" was not a success. The "enforcement" of the bandh under duress may have been.
Let us await the response from the BJP and the MGP on the suggestion for their demanding from the government that grants should be extended to English medium schools at primary level, as per legislation enacted by the Assembly.
The Government cannot change the decision as of now. They have to submit affidavit to that effect to the High Court on a Petition filed by some parents.
when almost 2/3 rds of cops were recruited by parrikar do you think that ravi can have any command over them other than for matka and drugs ? Digu Charchill and Ravi decided to lay off.
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