CM postpones major functions, fearing protest over MoI
PTI, PANAJI | 29 May 2011 14:59 IST
Goa government has postponed two of its main awards after artists and writers in the state decided to disrupt the functions protesting against English being made Medium of Instruction (MOI).
A state government spokesman told PTI that Chief Minister Digambar Kamat has postponed the functions for awarding the ''Yuva Srujan Puraskar'' and ''Kala Gaurav Puraskar'' that were scheduled to be held here today and tomorrow respectively.
Both are important literary awards given by the state art and culture department.
Goa government''s move to defer the award functions stems from the warning given by Bhartiya Bhasha Suraksha Manch (BBSM) to disrupt all the government functions.
The BBSM, in a meeting held yesterday which was attended by over 120 representatives from different cultural organisations, had appealed to the artists and writers to return all the awards given to them by the state government.
Two noted writers from the state - Vishnu Surya Wagh and Devidas Amonkar - were supposed to return back the awards during the award ceremony today.
Goa government had recently accorded MOI status to English which had irked Konkani-Marathi language supporters.
Various academicians and parents, who have come together under the banner of BBSM, fear that government''s move will spell doom for the Indian languages.
