GKF protests against Sahitya Akademi’s decision to support only Devanagari; Writer dares AIKP president to introduce Devanagari in all churches
Supporters of Konkani in Roman script attired in black costumes participating in a silent dharna demanding equal status for Roman script.
Photo Credits: Santosh Mirajkar
MARGAO
As the 33rd conference of the All India Konkani Parishad got underway at the Ravindra Bhavan, Margao, lovers of Konkani in Roman script took out a silent dharna on the road outside the Ravindra Bhavan on Saturday to protest over the discrimination meted out to Roman script in the Official Language Act.
Attired in black costumes, with many wearing black masks, and armed with placards, the silent dharna started at the SGPDA grounds before they marched on the Ravindra Bhavan road before heading to the historic Lohia Maidan to demand equal status for Konkani in Roman script and to introduce Konkani in Roman script in the schools in a phased manner.
A host of tiatrists including Wilson and Sharon Mazarello, Roseferns, Prince Jacob, Pascoal de Chicalim, Michael Gracias, Menino de Bandar, Joe Rose, besides activists and people from cross section of society joined the dharna to demand equal status for Konkani in Roman script.
President of Global Konknni Forum Kennedy Afonso thundered that the dharna is organised to lodge a protest against the Sahitya Akademi’s decision to support only Devnagiri, when Konkani is being written in a number of scripts, including Romi and Kannada. “Through chicanery and deceit, the Sahitya Academy has made Konkani the official language in Devnagiri script the sole official language of Goa. This is against the Indian Constitution promising equality”, he said.
Writer Michael Gracias wondered why communalism has been introduced in language by certain people when they speaks for one language, one script, one literature, adding “tomorrow they might say why not one religion”.
Saying that vested interests has hatched a conspiracy against the minority Catholic community which is using Konkani in Roman script, Gracias dared Fr Mousinho Ataide, the president of All India Konkani Parishad to introduce Devnagiri script in all the churches if he is not in favour of Konkani in Roman script.
Activist Anthony D’Silva also challenged Fr Ataide to get Konkani in Roman script to be introduced in the schools.
Prof Antonio Alvares said the advisory committee is responsible for meting out discriminatory treatment to Konkani in Roman script, demanding to know under what provision of law was the Committee constituted to decide on the script.
Noted tiatrist Prince Jacob warned not to underestimate the power of the lovers of Konkani in Roman script. “Don’t go by the number of people waging a battle on the roads in support of the demand to bestow equal status for Roman script. “We have the power to mobilize over a lakh people within 48 hours. To demand equal status for Roman script Konkani is our birth right and we shall have it”, he added.
Saying attempts are being made to stifle tiatr as well by vested interests, Jacob said tiatrists do not get halls at the Ravindra bhavans or at Kala Academy even to stage shows. “We have started this movement afresh. Konkani people using different scripts are all joining hands to remove the discrimination against their scripts”, he added.
Loyd Rego, representative of Karnataka Konknni Lekekancho Sang and Vikas Lasarado spoke on the importance of giving Sahitya recognition to all scripts of Konknni, and also recited a poem.
Tiatrist Wilmix Mazarello said that due to giving recognition to only Devnagri, the Konknni language is considered as an endangered language by a study done under UNESCO. He also said funds are sent by UNESCO to Goa Konknni Academy,to sustain the language in both Devnagri and Roman Script, however no one ever speaks of this funding.
Menino de Bandhar congratulated GKF for awakening Goans from their deep slumber on this issue. He said 36 years have passed, and it’s the duty of our elected representatives to get this issue resolved in the Assembly.
Others who spoke at the Lohia Maidan includes Roseferns, G Crasto, Franky de Paroda, Pascoal de Chicalim and others.
