PANJIM: Equal status to Konkani in Roman script along with Konkani in Devnagiri script was the one persistent demand of speakers at the inauguration of the 3rd Konknni (Romi Lipi) Sahitya and Sonvskrutik Sommelan at the Kala Academy, Panjim on Saturday.
Tomazinho Cardozo, the keynote speaker at the inaugural function of the two-day literary and cultural convention asked Goans to speak their mother tongue with pride and to use it at all social functions. Demanding equal status to the language in both scripts, Cardozo warned that neglecting Konkani in Roman script would destroy the language altogether.
Recalling that the definition of Konkani in the Official Language Act was surreptitiously inserted as "Konkani means Konkani written in the Devnagiri script," Cardozo termed it as the "greatest betrayal of the 21st century." Cardozo said that although 90% of the Konkani literary movements in Goa were by Roman script writers, the Devnagiri script of a minority was imposed on the majority.
"The result was that writers and enthusiasts of the Roman script were excluded from bodies like the Goa Konknni Akademi and the Sahitya award advisory board. Supporters of Konkani in the Devnagiri script put a stop on Kala Academy's awards to writers in the Roman script. Efforts were even made to eliminate the latter script from Goan soil," Cardozo said.
Explaining that the imposition of Konkani in Devnagiri script in Goan schools is the single reason behind parents choosing to admit their children into English-medium schools instead, Cardozo said, "If education was imparted in Roman script Konkani, our schools would be full. There is an urgent need to educate our children in Roman script. Only if we save our language, will we preserve our identity," Cardozo said.
Recalling the various agitations by Goans against the regional plan and special economic zones in a bid to salvage Goan identity, Cardozo said, "Even if Goa remains green, will we still have our Goan identity if we don't save our language?" Cardozo asked.
Veteran Konkani novelist Bonaventure D'Pietro and ardent supporter of the Dalgado Konknni Akademi Fr Conceisao D'Silva also expressed similar sentiments. D'Pietro criticized the proponents of the one-language-one-script theory saying it is diversity which beautifies the language. " India is a free country where different people learn and use their own scripts. Funds and facilities should be distributed equally to enthusiasts of Roman script and Devnagiri script Konkani," D'Pietro said.
D'Silva, on the other hand, said that despite attempts to muzzle Konkani in the Roman script, its enthusiasts are not weakened in their resolve to develop the script.
Chief minister Digambar Kamat came in for rich praise as the only Goan leader to have supported Konkani in the Roman script by according recognition to the Dalgado Konknni Akademi, constituting the Tiatr Akademy of Goa and other such initiatives.
The chief guest Bishop Allwyn Barreto of Sindhudurg said Konkani belongs to the entire Konkan region of which Goa is the centre. He also said that although the Devnagiri script is a national script, Roman script is international. "Speak in Konkani, write in Konkani, use Konkani to show our Goan identity," Barreto said.
Guest of honour St Cruz Congress MLA Victoria Fernandes said Goans need to fortify the language "or else we will become strangers in our own land". She assured that she would plead for equal status to Konkani in the Roman script in the Goa assembly before chief minister Digambar Kamat.
Veteran tiatrist Premanand Lotlikar proposed the vote of thanks. – TNN
The official language of Goa State should have been KONKANI, irrespective of the script. My father, late Pedro Correia-Afonso, Founder President of Konkani Bhasha Mandal, translated the Psalms (partly, because he died before completing the work)into Konkani, using the Roman script. He had been trying to learn both the Devanagri as well as the Kannad scripts in order to be able to read the books and newspapers written in Konkani in those scripts.
ReplyDeleteKonkani in Roman Script is not a need but as a citizen, it is exclusive right. Not a single elected member has ever raised this issue being almost half the population as catholic, we have the right to have it in Roman script. No where in the constitution it has written to impose any language against the people's wish. Secondly, shame on Govt. and those who side them to have equal status for Marathi which belongs to other state leaving step mother treatment to it's own monther . Those who demand Marathi they should migrate to maharashtra and in fact these people belonged to that state and were brought in by traitor Bandodkar and yet even after 60yrs we still praise neighours language. Shame on ruling elected members for not doing enough for the cause of Roman Script. Do not talk but act.
ReplyDeleteI am a Hindu, from Goa and a Portuguese Citizen. I write our mother tongue in roman script Concani (Konkani). Though my style of writing is Portuguese, But I am proud of it as it is our legacy. In roman Concani looks beautiful but not in devnagiri. The Goa govt must give roman Concani an equal status, because it was roman script that kept our mother tongue Concani alive for ages.
ReplyDeleteKonkani is my mother tongue and I want to see it in Roman Script and should be the first language of all Goans.
ReplyDeleteOur MLAs of the south who call themselves Goans can only fight to make money for themselves. Konkani with Roman script should have been introduced without a doubt of fought for.
ReplyDeleteBab Churchill Aleamao can do it in Roman Script.He has lot of good for us Goans.Like the Konakn Railway,Mopa Airport,NH17,Dream Bridges and many more to be done.Today we are enjoying the fruits.Long live Bab Churchill.
ReplyDeleteCaitan De Varca; I applaud you for supporting your crumb feeding masters. Konkan Railway brings criminals in and out of Goa, Mopa Airport Jobs for Maharashtra and NH17 for criminals to escape quicker by road and bridges for criminals to run from village to village. Yet none of this takes place in the village of Varca.
ReplyDeleteI think Caitan de varca is just talking the opposite in his comment, it is a way of putting up like that @anand of mopa you have misunderstood the concept of his say.
ReplyDeleteAs long as Konkani is the language on the streets and markets of goa instead of Hindi or marathi or kannada i dont care about the script.
ReplyDeleteNeil I agree with you.But tomorrow if the BJP comes to power then he will definetly change all the names of the street's,roads,rivers,etc.Like the Shiv Sena did in Mumbai.Every thing will be Shivaji.Please see on the Navhind Times dated 20th feb 2011 on the first page acting Shiviji is standing.This is just the begining of the story.
ReplyDelete@Gurunath: Yes everything will be like ghantti oriented, now Victoria will plead with Digu mama for Roman Konkani. Is Digu Mama and Victoria will win for the next election? Just nothing going to happen unless the seats are replaced by you or person like Dr. Hubert. There was one man I admired and that is Dr. Jack Sequeria, he was one man. So why don't we become Jack Sequeria, he was alone but if we are in 1000 of him having the same sprit we can overthrow the government and rule like what we want as Niz Goenkar. I pray to god that Dr. Hubert to win the election.
ReplyDeleteWill any of the current politicians fight for Any Goan Causes? Have a Konkani Sign post in Bombay, seva shena will burn it, and yet we Goans tolerate Maharashtran names.
ReplyDeleteCaitan, are you really serious??? All that you wrote has proved detrimental to goans so far
ReplyDelete