Wagh to oppose MoI, but with limitations; not to resign
GOANEWS DESK, PANAJI | 17 June 2012 14:28 IST
File photo of Wagh joining BJP during MoI agitation days
Bharatiya Janata Party’s St Andre MLA Vishnu Wagh has indicated he would oppose his government’s Medium of Instruction policy in a limited manner, while claiming that he would not surrender before anybody as a writer and artist.
Wagh, who was in the forefront to oppose grants to English medium schools during Congress regime, opened his mouth on the issue almost after 12 days, at a youth convention in Ponda of the Facebook Group - Mr Digambar Kamat Get Well Soon.
“There may be restriction on politician Vishnu Wagh, but nobody can lay restriction on the writer Vishnu Wagh”, he said while speaking at the convention, while admitting his ‘limitations’.
The FB group had invited him to make his stand clear. In fact when he entered, the hall mourned with two-minute silence to protest against the BJP government’s MoI policy.
The FB group members on the Facebook had vehemently criticized Wagh since he was sitting quietly next to chief minister Manohar Parrikar on 4 June, when the MoI policy of the BJP was announced.
Wagh had not uttered a single word when Parrikar announced grants to Church-run English medium primary schools or even thereafter.
“We were not told what the policy was and were also told not to speak a single word during the press conference”, said Wagh, indicating that Parrikar had announced the MoI policy unilaterally, without taking even the party MLAs into confidence.
Even now, Wagh said, he would not be able to come on the streets since he was the BJP MLA.
“But I will voice out my protest in the Assembly and also in the legislature party as the party manifesto clearly supports grants to only regional languages and not English”, said Wagh.
In protest of the Congress government’s policy to give grants to English medium primary schools, Wagh had resigned from the posts of few statutory bodies Entertainment Society of Goa and media advisor etc, but not all.
However, Wagh has now declined to step down as the chairman of Kala Academy as well as vice chairman of the ESG though he is opposed to the MoI policy of his own BJP government.
A report in Times of India quoted Wagh: “I was not in the government then. I am now. If I resign, then someone else will take charge of the position. By continuing in the posts, I can at least do something for society and for the language.”
Meanwhile, the FB group of youth – Mr Digambar Kamat Get Well Soon - has decided to start its agitation against Manohar Parrikar government from 18 June, as last year also they had started it on the same day.
Last year, the group members had marched to Azad Maidan, shouting slogans against Congress government, where then chief minister Digambar Kamat was felicitating the freedom fighters.
This year, the group members will chant ‘garane’ in front of Bhausaheb Bandodkar statue in Ponda and then have a protest programmes at Kranti Maidan in Ponda; not in Panaji.
This is what happens when a true agitator fighting on a issue becomes a MLA or MP. Mr. Wagh should think himself and should resign as MLA. The purpose due to which he left congress is shaded now too when he is in the government.
Meanwhile, the FB group of youth – Mr Digambar Kamat Get Well Soon - has decided to start its agitation against Manohar Parrikar government from 18 June, as last year also they had started it on the same day.
In this case shouldn't the group change its name to Manohar Parrikar get well soon?
Why it is 'get well soon'. Can't the Konkani/Marathi protagonist find something in the language they are fighting for?