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Reviving lost enthusiasm for ROMAN KONKANI by Tomazinho Cardozo
Questions of script apart, it is the Konkani language that can save
Goan culture and identity, says Tomazinho Cardozo
The second Konkani Literary and Cultural Conference organized by the
Dalgado Konkani Academy which began on Saturday will end on Sunday at
the Frank Fernand Nagar, Ravindra Bhavan Curchorem-Savordem. The
conference is basically organized to recreate the lost enthusiasm
among writers and readers of Konkani in the Roman script.
Since the passing of the Goa Official Language Act, 1987, in which the
Konkani language was fraudulently defined as "Konkani language means
Konkani in Devnagari script", thereby intentionally attempting to
crush the influence of Konkani in the Roman Script, writers and lovers
of Konkani in Roman script have been subjected to much injustice.
Although the major strength of Konkani at the time of the language
agitation was lovers of Konkani in the Roman script, they were
betrayed by introducing the above definaition of the Konkani language.
The lovers of Konkani in the Roman script fought with all their might
to make "Konkani language" the official language of Goa and not
"Konkani in Devnagari script" the official language of Goa. This was
nothing short of a conspiracy.
Since 1987 the lovers of Konkani in the Roman script have been
literally humiliated as their written works not considered for
publication nor were they given importance at any level.
The architects of the Official Language Act have been controlling all
the government and semi-government bodies, which decided on the
activities of Konkani in Goa. These people were all out to eliminate
Konkani in the Roman script. Some examples are:
Goa Konkani Akademy was constituted by the government. The lovers of
Konkani in the Roman script were neglected. One in the Roman script
were neglected. One or two, who were sympathetic to the Roman script
were included in the committee which has a strength of 12 to 15
members. They ere never considered for the post of president and vice
president.
The same criteria was followed while constituting statutory bodies at
the state, as well as national level, including the advisory board of
Sahitya Acaemy, New Delhi
The sahitya Academy stoped entertaining any literature written in the
Roman script becasude of the definition of Konkani language in the
Act.
Kala Ccademy used to give annual literatary awards for books in
Konkani in the Roman script right from the inception of those awards.
That too was stopped.
No writer or lover of Konkani in the Roman script was appointed for
any job in Goa Konkani Akadem. Institutions like the art and culture
department, the then official language cell, All India Radio and
Dordarshan, where Konkani activists were accommodated in large
numbers, sidelined lovers of Konkani in the Roman Script.
The literary works of Roman script writers were not considered for
awards at any level. The blunt message from the leaders of Konkani in
Goa was: If any one dreamt of awards then one had to write the book in
the Devnagari script.
"One Script, One Language and One Society’ was the new "mantra" of the
protagonists of Konkani in the Devnagari script. This thought is
fascist in nature as it attempts to destroy all other scripts and all
other dialects of the Konkani language.
Due to this anti-Roman script attitude of the Konkani leaders, writers
and readers of Konkani in the Roman script were demoralized. Creative
writing came to a halt. The reading habit in Konkani in the Roman
script was adversely affected. During the last 18 to 20 years Konkani
in the Roman script has lost an entire generation of writers and
readers.
The only satisfaction was that children, youth and elders continued
and still continue to perform all their religious activities in the
churches of Goa, which uses Konkani in the Roman script for its
liturgical purposes.
It was also observed that lovers of Konkani in the roman script,
instead of sending their children to study Konkani in the Devnagari
script, preferred English.
As such the number of students in the Konkani primary schools, run by
the Archdiocesan Board of Education declined and continues to decline.
On the other hand the number of English schools and students in them
increased.
If such a situation is allowed to continue we shall be responsible of
driving away our own people from the Konkani language, which means
disconnecting them from Goan culture and Goan identity.
It if for this reason that since lasty year Dalgado Konknni Academy
started organizing annual conferences, with the sole aim of
encouraging creative writing and keeping the flame of Konkani,
irrespective of scripts, burning in the hearts of the Konkani people.
Only Konkani language, in al scripts and not in a particular script,
can save Goan culture and Goan identity.
Source: Sunday Times of India, Dated February 21, 2010, Goa Edition
