Expressing unhappiness over differing personal opinions voiced by his Cabinet colleagues in the media on the issue of Medium of Instruction (MOI), Goa chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar today said the government's decision on the matter is final.
"Ministers should not give individual or personal opinion on such crucial issues. Being Minister, he automatically becomes part and parcel of government's decision, which is final decision," Parsekar said today responding to volley of questions by media.
The Goa government has announced regional languages as MOI in elementary education while also continuing grants to 127 English medium schools.
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This has created difference of opinion across the state, including within the state Cabinet.
Deputy Chief Minister Francis D'Souza had yesterday said the choice of language for the children should be made by the parents and not by the government.
While Forest Minister Rajendra Arlekar had said the government should not have continued grants to English medium schools, Fisheries Minister Avertano Furtado had demanded all such schools should be given the grants.
The Chief Minister said he has already informed Arlekar and Furtado not to make such comments in future.
Taking a dig at Congress, Parsekar said such behaviour by Ministers against their own party happens in their organisation. "We don't want BJP to become Congress," he said.
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Meanwhile, the Congress party today accused the BJP of
confusing the public over the issue.
"BJP leaders are busy confusing people on the MOI issue. They are purposely keeping people in dark and confusing the issue to gain political mileage," Congress Goa spokesman Agnelo Fernandes said today.
He said the party and its government has fooled Forum of Rights of Children Education (FORCE) and Bharatiya Bhasha Suraksha Manch (BBSM).
While FORCE is advocating for English, BBSM wants regional languages as MOI.
Fernandes said the then chief minister Manohar Parrikar had assured amicable solution for the issue.
"BJP went to people in 2012 election promising solution for the issue but all the time the government is busy confusing," he alleged.
The Congress leader assured if his party comes back to power in the state, they will give parents right to choose the MOI for their children.
