There were unprecedented heavy showers since the
afternoon on this Monday 8/8/2005 the first working
day of the week giving tense moments for the
organisors of the " Meet to highlight use of Konkani
in Roman script " which is a meet of the
representatives of associations working in literary
and cultural field of Goa through Konkani in Roman
script held at Grace Church hall, Margao.
The meet was conducted under the auspices of the Msgr
Sebastaio Dalgado 15O centenary celebrations Committee
headed by ex Speaker of the Goa Legislative Assembly
and eminent tiatrist Mr Tomazinho Cardozo.
Mr Wilmix Mazarello an eminent tiatrist explained in
chaste Konkani without mincing words on how Roman
script was betrayed by the organisation Konkani
Porjecho Avaz. He castigated those like N Shivdas who
tried to brand Roman script lovers as antinationals.
He was clear on one point that for the fear of
breaking the seemingly Goan unity then 18 years ago
when the Konkani language was recognised as the
Official language on 4/2/1987 writers tiatrist
lyricists poets compromised and agreed to Devnagiri
script. He admitted that of the six years in the
Konkani Academy three as an appointee of the
Government and three outside he had understood that
there was a "hate syndrome' for those advocating the
cause of Roman script. Even those Cristao Konkani
Roman script stalwarts who graced functions of the
Devnagiri Konkani lovers did not realise that they
were being fooled by them. He supported the demand of
Kannada script for Konkani by the people of karnataka
Mr Tomazinho Cardozo highlighted the same issues and
spoke how there was no recognition to eminent persons
like Fr Antonio Pereira but instead Shenoi Goembab
Varde Valaulikar who had just 13 Romi lipi works was
projected as the "Father of the Konkani movement" .
Even the eminent Msgr Dalgado was given mere lip
sympathy and thrown into the limbo. Only the 127
diocesan schools teach Konkani and the rest Marathi so
it is the Catholic students who have to face the brunt
of a non standardised language. Even the lessons are
all of Devnagiri writers why not five lessons in
written by Roman and others by Devnagiri?
Fr Pratap Naik who speaks reads and writes Kannada
Devnagiri and Roman scripts Konkani read from prepared
points in Devnagiri script but yet vociferously
advocated the use of Roman lipi in this information
age to have a global interaction via email.
Fr Naik a Jesuit heading the Thomas Stephen Kendra
Alto Porvorim clarified that God made two types of
living beings Human being " monis " who could speak
and animals who could not "mon zat" Therefore language
or ability of speaking was given as a gift to man. We
are first Konkani and then Goans he said just as there
are languages like Punjabi etc. It is language that
defines our identity not the boundaries of the State.
Our theme should be "Konkani uloi Konkni ghazoi" Next
he stated that to speak is the vehicle of
communication it has emotive spiritual and social
significance. Therefore Punjabi Gujarati Bengali and
Konkani are all languages of communication. Next he
admitted that Roman script was alive since 1556. To
label the Konkani Roman script as unscientific is
wrong he culled statistics to show Roman script is 93%
and user friendly, Kannada 82% Sanskrit 100% but
Devnagiri is merely 40 % yet The Sahitya Academy in
New Delhi confers awards on to literary works in
Devnagiri Konkani and not to Roman this is a
misrepresentation of facts.
Fr Pratap suggested a nine point agenda to be placed
before the Government.
He further stated that just as there are two bullock
cart needs to move on two wheels so also Konkani to
flourish should move on Devnagiri and Roman script in
Goa. There should not be alms seeker for recognition
of Roman script we should demand it as our right
having preserved it for several years as a matter of
fact the Church and later the tiatrists etc need to be
credited for the use of Konkani or else it would have
faded away.
The writings of N Shivdas a teacher (read N for Naik
Shivdas--- apparently being shy that Naik refers to
Bahujan Samaj non Brahmin) in a local daily accusing
Fr Naik as trying to drive a wedge between the
communities by stirring up the script issue was
condemned.
Many present spoke on the agenda to be followed. This
riter along with another asked the organisors to make
amends in the language Act definition of Konkani to
read as " written in both Devnagiri and Roman script
instead of merely Devnagiri" Demand from the 14 MLAs
and political parties in writing their stand on Roman
lipi . Raise the issue in the Legislative Assembly
during this session itself during zero hours and get
the Government view point on the Roman script. Its now
or never.
In fact it became evident that the Devnagiri script
lovers were conspicuous by their absence though they
had revealed in a section of the press that they have
no hatred towards the Roman script.
Mr Ulhas "Buyao" (surname not known) of "Channeache
Rati " fame castigated those present for falling prey
to the machinations of the Devnagiri writers by
branding them as "Thekedars" brokers . Though many
present doubted his "integrity " and support for the
Roman cause by his sudden presence his views were
taken note of . He suggested that every year the
chairmanship of the Goa Konkani Academy be given to
Roman script and Devnagiri script writers etc.
Tiatrist Mario Menezes was critical about non
inclusion of Konkani in Roman script way back in 1987
but being young his views were brushed off he did
make a point to highlight this lapse in the act in a
song composed then.
There was reasonable gathering of over 63 persons but
all of them were true and spirited participants and
they vowed to move in right earnest to achieve
recognition of Konkani in Roman script.
There was strong condemnation of the Sunaparant
Konkani devnagiri writings. The devnagiri script
supporters were the same people under different
umbrellas. Recently not more than 24 people had a meet
and a resolution was passed stating that the people of
Goa support Konkani in Devnagiri script and are
against Roman script and this was sent to the Sahitya
Academy in New Delhi.
It is apparent from this meeting that the there is a
ground swell for recognition of Roman script above all
the Cristaos have realised that the Brahmin Hindus
have "cunningly" decieved them. 18 years later is
time too late but the fact remains that the demand for
Konkani in Roman script will now be fought ----the
battle lines are drawn.
Not a single Cristao amdar or Montri was present.
Even the Cristao landlords who otherwise speak Konkani
at home did not attend the meet. Nor did the Hindu
Brahmins or Bahujan Samaj. Hence the polarisation is
clear the 3% Hindu Brahmins should realise accept
Roman or face isolation socially first then
economically. Even the tiatrist were not many in
numbers obviously the weather played truant and
apparently being a working day the thin attendance.
from the Our Lady of Grace Church Hall
Godfrey J I Gonsalves
Borda Margao Goa
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
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