Konknni and its scripts at the crossroads
Pratap Naik, S.J.
Thomas Stephens Konknni Kendr
Alto Porvorim, Goa
A small group of vested interest people who insist only the Devanagari
script for Konknni are misleading the general public with myths, lies and
half truths. This article focuses on facts related to Konknni.
When Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi gave recognition to Konknni there was
no mention of its script in the minutes. Excerpts from the meeting of the
General Council of the Sahitya Akademi held on 26 February 1975 reads "As
Konknni fulfils the criteria formulated by the Akademi for recognition of a
language, it is recognised as an independent modern literary language of
India." On 21 November 1981 the Nagari supporters of the Advisory Body of
Sahitya Akademi proposed Nagari script as the only official script. Since
then Sahitya Akademi accepted Devanagari script for Konknni.
When Konknni was included in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution
of India on 20 August 1992 there was no mention of its official script. The
seventy-first amendment to the Constitution reads, "BE it enacted by
Parliament in the Forty-third Year of the republic of India as follows:-
Short title.-this Act may be called the Constitution (Seventy-first
Amendment) act, 1992.
Amendment of eighth schedule.- In the Eighth schedule to the
Constitution,-
existing entry 7 shall be re-numbered as entry 8, and before entry 8
as so re-numbered, the entry "7. Konkani." shall be inserted". From this
one could conclude that the official script of Konknni for all Konknnis
(Konknni speakers) is not officially decided or accepted by the people.
As on 30.09.2006, Catholics are in forefront in Goa to run 126 Konknni
medium primary schools. Hindu managements run only 5 Konknni medium primary
schools and 49 Marathi medium schools. Goa Government runs 72 Konknni
medium schools and promotes 898 Marathi medium primary schools. Why the
supporters of Nagari do not bring pressure on the Government and Hindu
managements to start Konknni medium schools?
According to the academic year 2005-2006 Marathi medium primary
schools have the highest number of students, namely, 36,805. Konknni has
only 28,152 students. The vast majority of Nagari supporters send their
children and grand children to English or Marathi medium Primary schools!
Though Konknni is the State Language of Goa in the entire State there is not
a single Konknni medium high school. While Marathi, Urdu and Kannada medium
high schools are found in Goa. Though Konknni is the official language of
Goa, it is not a compulsory language in schools! One can complete his/her
entire education in Goa without learning Konknni!
At the X std number of students who opt for Konknni as the third
language have not crossed 45% of total number of students who appear for the
examination. In 2008 April 15,765 students appeared for the X Std
examination. Out of which 7454 students opted for Marathi and 6535 for
Konknni. At the XII Std number of students who opt for Konknni as the second
language have not crossed 35%. According to the reliable sources the
majority of these students are Catholics. For the academic year 2006-2007
out of 127 Christian management high schools 126 schools offer Konknni as a
third language. Most of the government high schools in North Goa District
do not offer Konknni. 51.83% of schools run by the Hindu community do not
offer Konknni as a third language!
In Karnataka Konknni is included in the school curriculum from the
academic year 2007-2008 in Kannada script. 101 schools are teaching Konknni
in Kannada script as a subject from Std. VI. Out of these except 5
government schools, rest of the schools belong to the Catholic management.
Though there is an option to teach Konknni in Nagari script, not a single
school offers this option. Karnataka Government has recognized Kannada
script as the official script for Konknni in Karnataka.
The Kerala Government has approved of teaching of Konknni in Nagari
script in Kerala, but in reality Konknni is not taught because there are no
students. In Kerala not a single full-fledged Konknni periodical is
published. In reality in Kerala Konknnis exist but Konknni continues to be
mainly the spoken language and it is hardly used for written purpose.
In Goa literate Hindus know the Nagari script. Yet the vast majority
of them prefer to read and write Marathi and not Konknni. 10 Marathi
dailies are sold in Goa. While the single Konknni daily in Goa has very
poor circulation after 22 years of its existence! In Goa there are only 4
Konknni periodicals in Nagari script. Roman script has 13 periodicals.
Besides these, there are 82 Parish Bulletins are published in Roman script.
Catholics who read Konknni prefer to read it in Roman script. Since
liberation, Konknni in Nagari script has not united the entire Hindu
community. It has not united the majority and minority communities. Spoken
Konknni alone is the uniting factor in Goa.
Church has supported and preserved Konknni in Roman script. As on 26
August 2008, 60,000 copies of the entire Bible in Konknni, 2,32,000 copies
of New Testament and over 3 lakhs of Gayonancho Jhelo (hymnal), 1,00,000
catechism books for students and 6,000 teachers' handbooks are printed. The
Church uses maximum amount of Konknni in Roman script for the religious
purpose. Archbishop's official circulars and pastoral letters are written
and published in Konknni.
In the market Konknni CDs, VCDs & DVDs are found in great numbers.
99% of these are produced by the Catholic community. Hindus still continue
to use Marathi CDs for religious domain and Marathi and Hindi CDs for
cultural domain. Tiatr is the most popular form of entertainment. At least
40 tiatr groups perform thousand of shows in Goa and elsewhere. Tiatrs are
written exclusively in the Roman script.
Konknni in Nagari script is kept alive mainly due to State and Central
Governments grants. In education it exists because of the support of the
Catholic community. If the government stops or if the Roman script is given
official status will Konknni in Nagari script survive? This is a serious
topic for discussion and reflection.
Though Konknni is the State Language of Goa only 30.93% of total
Konknni population is found in Goa! Konknnis are spread out in different
States. They use different dialects and scripts. Konknni is required only to
maintain their cultural identity. In this context, Konknni does not help as
a medium of instruction, as a common media for communication or to earn one's
livelihood. So far Konknni is survived because it is a vibrant spoken
language "One script, one dialect, one community" principle has not
succeeded so far to unite Konknnis and in the future it will not succeed.
If we force this principle Konknnis will survive but Konknni will perish.
The protagonists of this principle implicitly believe that Aryans, Brahmins,
Sanskrit and Nagari script are related and they are 'holy/pure/standard/high'
for all! Konknni will survive and flourish if we accept the principle of
unity in diversity of Konknni dialects, scripts and cultures.
Supporters of Roman script have so far not opposed the Konknni in
Nagari script. Then why the Nagari lobby opposes the inclusion of Roman
script in the Official Language Act (OLA)? In the OLA why the definition of
Konknni was given as "Konkani means Konkani written in Devanagari script"?
In 1987 when Marathi was included in the OLA, the Nagari supporters did not
oppose it. Why? The logic is simple. If the Roman script is given its due
place, the use of Konknni in Nagari script will be reduced and eventually it
might die a natural death. Neither the majority of Hindu community nor the
Catholic community wants Konknni in Nagari script.
Since the inception of Goa Konknni Akademi, not a single Roman script
writer or supporter has been appointed as the President or Vice-President of
it. Kala Academy stopped to give awards to Konknni books written in Roman
script from 1987. Not a single book in Roman script has been given Sahitya
Akademi award. Why the Nagari lobby is silent about this injustice? They
used Nagari as a tool to suppress and oppress the minority community to
perpetuate their supremacy in the field of language and literature and to
grab awards, positions, jobs, power and government funds.
Marathi is used in Goa exclusively by the Hindu community for written
communication, religious and cultural areas. Prior to liberation in Goa,
written Konknni meant Konknni in Roman script. If Marathi has a place in the
OLA, and Konknni in Nagari script which the majority of Goans do not want
has secured a place in it, then the Roman script which is the most popular
script has a right to be in the Goa Official Language Act.
