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Press Release 01/2007
Panaji
19 February 2007
Romi Lipiechi Chollvoll (RLC) called a Press Conference on Monday, February
19, 2007 at Jesuit House, Panaji. Fr. Conceção Silva, the convenor of RLC
addressed the Press. Dr. Pratap Naik, S.J. Director of Thomas Stephens
Konknni Kendr explained the objectives and the background of the movement;
Tiatrist Prince Jacob, Ex-Speaker Tomazinho Cardozo and Fr. Eremito Rebello,
Rector of sanctuary of Fr. Joseph Vaz at Sancoale also addressed the press.
Antonio Gauncar, Ex-MLA, Pandarinath Lotlikar, Ex-Director of Doordarshan,
Prabhakar Tendulakr, Siddanath Buyao, Tiatrist Premanand Lotilkar and Mrs
Jessy Dias; Konknni writer Bonaventure D'Pietro, Goa Bachav Abhiyan Core
Committee member Miguel Braganza and many other supporters of Roman script
were present for the Press Conference. The following text was distributed
to the Media.
ROMI LIPIECHI CHOLLVOLL
The Indian National Congress Party was responsible to pass the Language Bill
in 1987. Great injustice has been done in the Goa Official Language Act
1987, to a large section of Goan minority community, which traditionally
uses Roman script to read and write Konknni for the last 500 years.
The Language Act in Para 2 (c) reads, "Konkani language" means Konkani
language in Devanagari script. This clause has destroyed the traditional
unity and communal harmony of Goans, which existed for centuries before the
Language Act was passed. The Language Act has benefited only a miniscule
section of Goan society, which uses Konknni in Devanagari script. Besides
it has hampered the growth of Konknni in Roman script for the past 20 years.
However due to people's active support the sale of Roman script books and
periodicals have gone up.
Without the Roman script the charm of Konknni will be lost forever and the
multi dimensioned Goan culture will lose its uniqueness. In Goa Konknni was
always identified with the Roman script. Hence it is the integral part of
Goan and Konknni identity. Konknni in Roman script has survived and bloomed
with the support of people. While Konknni in Devanagari script is a
parasite and it solely survives on funds of State and Central Govt. Neither
the entire majority community nor the minority community has accepted
willingly the Devanagari script for Konknni. It was forcibly thrust upon
them through a well-planned conspiracy by the Devanagari proponents who are
less than 3% of Goa's population.
To undo the great injustice done to the users of Roman script, Romi Lipiechi
Chollvoll (RLC) demands from the present coalition government of Indian
National Congress Party and Nationalist Congress Party to amend the Official
Language Act 1987 by adding the words "/Roman script" after the words
"Konkani language means Konkani language in Devanagari script" in Para 2
(c).
RLC is a non-political movement of people who read, write and support Roman
script for Konknni. It is not associated with any political party. RLC is
a people's movement to fight for their rights. The users and supporters of
Roman script for the last two years have met all INCP and NCP MLAs and
Central ministers and party officials several times and asked them to do
justice to Konknni in Roman script. They promised to look into the matter.
But so far they have not done justice to the one and only demand of RLC,
namely to amend the Official Language Act 1987 and to include Roman script
side-by-side Devanagari script.
INCP and NCP have all these years taken the support of the minority
community to come to power. But they have done precious little to uplift
the members of this community. These political parties cannot take for
granted the support of minority community in the forthcoming assembly
elections.
The RLC gives the final call to the present coalition government to amend
the Official Language Act 1987 and to give the equal status to Roman script
in the forth coming Assembly Session which will be held in the month of
March 2007. RLC has no other demand and it will not accept anything less
than the equal status to Roman script in the Language Act. If the
government fails to do justice then the RLC will start village-to-village
campaign against INC and NCP and it will actively support those candidates
(except the present Ministers and MLAs) who give in writing in their
election manifesto that they would amend the Official Language Act to give
the equal status to Konknni in Roman script.
Fr. Conceção Silva
Convenor
Romi Lipiechi Chollvoll
