Panaji, May 29 (PTI) Goa government has postponed two of its main awards following reports that artists and writers in the state had decided to disrupt the functions in protest against English being made the Medium of Instruction (MOI).

"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," a state government spokesman said.

Both are important literary awards given by the state's art and culture department.

The 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 artists and writers to return all the awards given to them by the state government.