Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji

Panaji, Aug 31: The agitation seeking official language status for Marathi in Goa took a disruptive turn on Monday as hundreds of supporters of the Marathi Rajbhasha Nirdhar Samiti blocked the Old Mandovi Bridge on the Panaji side, bringing traffic in both directions to a standstill.

Following the protest, the Traffic Department temporarily closed the Old Mandovi Bridge to vehicular movement and diverted traffic through the New Mandovi Bridge.

The demonstration began more than two hours before the scheduled start of the three-day Goa Legislative Assembly session. Carrying placards and flags, the protesters initially gathered at the Kadamba Bus Stand and subsequently marched towards the Goa Legislative Assembly.

A heavy police presence was deployed as the protesters proceeded towards the Assembly. However, they were stopped on the Old Mandovi Bridge, following which they staged a sit-in on the bridge.

The Traffic Department issued an advisory stating that demonstrators had blocked the Old Mandovi Bridge on the Panaji side, resulting in its temporary closure to traffic from both directions. Motorists were advised to use the New Mandovi Bridge and exercise caution while travelling through the diversion.

The Marathi Rajbhasha Nirdhar Samiti had announced plans to mobilise around 5,000 supporters for the march. The organisation is demanding that the Goa government bring a resolution and take legislative action to grant Marathi official language status in the state.

The Samiti has warned that the agitation will be intensified if the government fails to introduce a resolution on Marathi during the ongoing Assembly session.

The demand has also received political support from the Shiv Sena led by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. The party has urged the Goa government to initiate appropriate legal measures and introduce a Bill on granting Marathi official language status during the Assembly session.

The protest comes amid a renewed debate over the linguistic status of Marathi in Goa, with the protesters seeking formal recognition and legislative action from the state government.