-------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Add your name to the CLEAN GOA INITIATIVE | | | | by visiting this link and following the instructions therein | | | | http://shire.symonds.net/pipermail/goanet/2005-October/033926.html | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ramnath G. Naik, 446, Undir, Bandora, Ponda Goa 403401 Ph. 91-832- 2337009 Dated: 14th Oct. 2005
Text of the speech on "Social damage done by Goa's language controversy and conspiracy behind it" delivered at Xavier Centre of Historical Research, Alto Porvorim, Goa on 6th Oct.'05 at 5.30 PM Namaskar, which means I bow before this gathering. I also kneel before Lord Jesus who founded a religious order without caste system just two thousand years ago compared to my religion which is supposed to be thousands of years old but could not get rid of caste system yet. So do I kneel before His Holiness, The Pope for maintaining that caste-less order two thousand years later despite pressures from various corners of the world including Goa. This day, 6th Oct. I foresee as a historical day when fate of Goans changed the course like the day in 1510 when Portuguese landed in Goa. Like the day in 1763 when Portuguese entered New Conquests giving full commitment that they will not interfere with the religious affairs of Hindus. Like the day in 1910 when Monarchy in Lisbon was overthrown, republic was established and Goans got same democracy of contemporary times in Britain. There was a feel of renaissance, numerous social institutions, libraries were opened. Base of secularism was set and despite intervening dictatorship in Portugal we were prepared to receive India and social order under its constitution. Like the day in 1961 when we were liberated and came under Indian democracy and the constitution. In 1967 we had opinion poll, some won, some lost. In 1987 we had official language act. And this day 6/10, I see like the first penetration of Berlin Wall of Germany which divided Germany for half a century. Goans too are similarly divided last 44 years. You know, after second world wall, the tyrant of the century or millennia, Adolf Hitler and his Nazi forces were defeated. Though the whole world had a sigh of relief, world was supposed to be free and Germans suffered immensely, a material wall vertically divided Germany. An actual wall that could not be crossed next half a century bisected same people, same culture, same language, and same sufferings. Any one attempted to cross it was simply shot dead and hundreds so died. That is infamous Berlin Wall. Eventually, the wall symbolized division of the whole world in Soviet block and American block. The tension between the two was called cold war having potential of third World War. It continued for half a century having reached boiling point many a times in between. After the fall of USSR(Russia), cold war ended and demolition of Berlin wall was symbolic of its final end. Exactly, a similar wall has left Goans divided last 44 years and that wall is Devanagri Konkani. Its foundation was laid in 1967 (opinion poll), final touches were given in 1987 in official language act and we are here to assess the damage done to the society. I have been banging my head against this wall, every stone in the wall last 15 years through my writings. Fortunately, the head is still not broken and, thanks to providence, I have been able to penetrate the wall today. No matter I am an ordinary citizen, I see the day as historical. Guarding this wall are, Mr. Subhash Velingker of RSS, Madhuker Dikshit of VHP, Manohar Parriker of BJP and supposedly most secularist Adv. Uday Bhembrey, Vice-President and Chairman of the Intelligent Committee of Congress. Nothing is allowed to pass this side of the wall. Here I must define some words so that there should not be any confusion later. I do not know how much you know of Hinduism, but every Catholic knows that it is riddled with castes and Saraswats is a caste in it. This caste was most powerful, financially strong, intelligent and were de-facto social rulers during entire 450 years of Portuguese. Portuguese confined their authority at political level and in Adilshahi Palace only. If Portuguese were atrocious, they too were atrocious. With only 2 to 3% of population but 90% land- holding, especially in New Conquests, they had all traits of feudalism, aristocracy, oppression and suppressions. Equally, they excelled in Education, social-cultural activities, literature, music etc. Diametrically opposite traits were in same caste. Positive qualities were attributed to Saraswats whereas those having negative traits were colloquially called Bamans. The term 'Baman" was used in derogatory sense. None called them Bamans on the face and none called them Saraswats behind their back. Thanks to official language act, they are now well defined. The founder and inventor of Devanagari Konkani, late Valauliker has identified them. Those who are having their mother tongue as Devanagari Konakni are Bamans. Saraswat word is taboo in Devanagari Konkani. Obviously, those with Marathi as their language are Saraswats and those with Devanagari Konkani are Bamans. Make no mistake. A clear line is drawn between Saraswats and Bamans.The words will be accordingly used in my speech. Baman word is no longer derogatory and is now a prestigious, legal and authentic word. None should get disturbed for using it. Coming to our Berlin Wall, Devanagari. Konkani, the referred guards are Bamans in their respective representative capacity. They are nurturing and strengthening the wall. RSS and its outfits represent Bamans of Maharahstara. Here is a strange combination. The qualities of Bamans in Maharahstara and Goa are ditto identical. However, the caste of respective Bamans is diametrically opposites in Hindu tenets. The caste in Maharashtra is that of Brahmins which are necessarily vegetarians whereas Saraswats of Goa are non-vegetarian. For a hard-core vegetarian, non-vegetarian is almost untouchable. But on the Berlin wall, they are united and it is most unholy alliance of Bamans of Maharashstra and Bamans of Goa. xxxx While you, Christians all look at the four as representing Hinduism, one set as communal whereas the other as secular, they actually represent the combined Bamanism of Maharashtra and Goa. Every aspect of social effects of Language controversy on my Hindu Bahujan Samaj has been dealt by me last 15 years on my side of the Berlin Wall. Every one in the game has been named and lead articles were published. No response, no reaction. Mr Manohar Parriker, when in power, has been accused as anti- national, anti-constitution and rabidly casteist. My Marathi book has a separate chapter titled "Osama Bin Bhembro" giving all references to supplement it. I have another book that I have dedicated to the memory of late Shri Laxmikant Prabhu Bhembrey, the father of Mr. Uday Bhembrey. To put in short, my Bahujan Samaj has been massacred, butchered and bulldozed. Have you assessed the effect on your side? I doubt. Have you seen what is happening in Devanagari Konkani class? Overnight, from where Konkani teachers came? What they teach? What are Konkani text books? How a new language was suddenly introduced at graduate, post-graduate and doctorate level? Who taught them and what? From where required literature came? How many Goans have excelled academically at national level? Sorry, I do not see any such analysis despite you fought for the language of your choice. And my cries did not reach this side. Thanks to Berlin Wall. At the moment Goa is known globally with number, No. 40 which is universally known as the number in the famous story, "Alibaba and his 40 thieves." Paucity of time restrains me to give more examples. Final visible result is that we have forty thieves at the helm of affairs. I think none here will differ. On 23rd June 2002, Mr. Parriker, the then CM declared that 125th Birth anniversary year of one late Mr. Vaman Raghunath Varde Valauliker alias Shenai Goembab will be celebrated as the "Identity Year of Goa". Knowing only the name of Valauliker and fully conscious of anti-Bahujan Samaj motives behind Devanagari Konkani since beginning, Parriker's statement was a blast in my head. It must be the same blast, which ultimately prompted revolutionaries to face bullets or freedom fighters to face noose around their necks. Valauliker' s only name was known to me till then. Indian mindset requires a deity, a God, a sage , some symbol, or even a roadside stone to propagate some ideology. Valauliker was also presumed to be so. How can the Chief Minister who has taken oath under the constitution define the identity of Goa in the name of an unknown, undefined person as against numerous legendary figures? Next week, my lead article was flashed" It is but Bamani Inquisition". The article warned Mr. Parriker that he is creating a situation similar to the one in Maharashtra on the eve of assassination of Mahatma Gandhi and that he is playing with fire. Further, history will not pardon him for this misadventure. Parriker hurriedly called a press conference same day, confused, stammered and amended his statement. That, the Government will not celebrate the anniversary but Rs. 10 lakhs would be given to a separate committee for the same. Rs.10 lakhs or Rs.10, made no difference. What the Government had to do with Valauliker? I was determined to follow the dead man. One year sleepless nights, burning gallons of mid-night oil, three months leave, I came out with a 200-page book "Conspiracy behind Goa's language controversy" Discredit for the book is given to Mr. Parriker. Last sentence in the book says, "there is POTA (Prevention of Terrorists Act) in the hands of a Baman and Goddess Saraswati has entered my knees. (Ref: Bahaujan Samaj is always referred by Bamans as "Dheparam Budhicho") With all fury, ire and rage of 44 years at my command, I used the language as "Tit for 40 years Tat" by Konkanivadis. Late Mr. Valauliker was born in Bicholim , Goa in 1877. From his surname, he had his origin is Valauli, a village in nearby district of Maharshtra. After primary education Marathi and some Portuguese, he migrated to Bombay in 1893, at the age of 16 for greener pastures. He completed his matricultion by 1898. In this period he learnt that he was not treated as "Baman" in Bombay whereas in Goa, even a child at the age of five knew that he is "proud Baman". The main reason was Bamans nee Bhahmins of Maharashtra were Vegetarians whereas Bamans nee Saraswats of Goa were die-hard non-vegetarians. In 1901/02 he had a brief stint as a teacher in Assagao, Mapuca when a Portuguese school inspector told him that his language was Konkani and not Marathi. It was Roman Konkani then. Back in Bombay, he works on hypothesis that Non-Vegetarian Bamans of Goa are not only Brahmins, but superior to all sub-castes of Brahmins. His praises for Portuguese increase. He writes a book in Roman Konkani" How Alfonso de Albuquerque conquered Goa?" The book was to be published on the occasion of 400 th anniversary of arrival of Portuguese in Goa. The manuscript was handed over to the concerned committee. But it did not see the light of the day. There was revolution in Lisbon, Monarchy was overthrown and republic was established. Goans had democracy. Goans were overjoyed. Numerous social institutions were formed. Valauliker keeps low. But his "research" continues. Ideas take shape. As dictatorship of Salazar takes roots, he is active. Konkani is the language of Bamans of Goa. They were in highest positions in various courts in history of Maharashtra but were never rulers themselves. They must have their own nation of entire Konkan, with capital at Goa and rule in their language. The word "Maharashtra" is used in the context of Indian nation and not present day Maharashtra. Beyond his "Maharashtra", there is only Indian sub-continent. These thoughts are in the third decade of last century. Independence of India was not in sight, democracy or linguistic re- organization of states were not even dreamt of. He refers to Jews who were wandering throughout the world enslaving themselves to various languages of the world. He has no much knowledge of then Goa, He assumes almost 50% Goans to be his Bamans, Geographically, his Dudhsagar waterfall is on Kali river of Karwar and from that mount, one can see Loutolim is a beautiful island. Unlimited contradictions. In 1942, he proposes Devanagari script for Konkani, till the it is only Roman. He has not touched a single social or political subject from 1893 to 1946 (till his death). This is the period when modern history of India, both political or social was formed and in Bombay where he lived and eventually died. Mahatma Gandhi or Dr.Ambedker are his contemporaries. He is not touched by any thought of freedom struggle of India or Goa. In contemporary times, a social movement for eradication of Devadasi system (hereditary prostitution and system nurtured by Saraswats then) prevalent in Goa is on peak. In Bombay,Valauliker justifies it in most foul language. The Devadasis of Goa , he says, are better than pious ladies of Maharashtra. So much hatred towards India camouflaged under Maharashtra. This is the man in whose name Mr. Parriker defined identity of Goa. For Chandrakant Keni, he is tall man among pygmies. Dr. Nandkumar Kamat calls him Father of Konkani nationalism. Same Kamat dreams of internetting 6.5 million Konkani-speaking people when Goa's total population is only 1.3 million. What Valauliker has written are Masterpieces to Mr. Aravind Bhatiker, the retired IAS officer of GOI. For Datta Damodar Nayak of Lokshakti, he is "Mahapurush". But for this Valauliker, Dr.Tanaji Halarnker snaps the heritage of his forefathers. He compares Valauliker with Budha,Jesus or Prophet. However Tanaji does not snap his first name which belongs to a brave Maratha Saradar of Chhatrapati Shivaji. RSS, VHP, BJP and of course Pradesh INC remain silent on this identity. Yes, for this identity, I , mean my Bahujan Samaj has been humiliated in worst language for being Marathi continuously for last 40 years. I am a stooge , boot-licker, slave, shameless and numerous filthy epithets for calling myself a Marathi man. Maharashtra of today was formed only in 1960, one year before Goa. Never in history, Maharashtra had definite geographical boundaries. My language is Marathi and I have no relation whatsoever with Maharashtra. For Hindus of Goa, Marathi is the first Veda. I am the sole interpreter of Hinduism as far as the constituent of Secularist society is concerned. RSS, formed in 1925 did not come to the rescue of Hindus of Goa till 1961. Whatever aberrations of 16th Century, today I stand on Hinduism, Marathi and Secularism inherited from Portuguese and none else. I have neither read Hindu scriptures nor Bible. But walking a path of a KM with candle in hand in the evening with the statue of Mother Mary with same solemnity and devotion as that of carrying Ganesh idol in childhood, continuous association with Catholic colleagues from school to this day is enough for me to understand Christianity. Had Portuguese been as brutal as Bamans, there would not have been a single Hindu today. More than 1 lakh copies of Marathi newspapers are sold in Goa as against a couple of thousand of Devanagari Konkani. Nearly 50-50 lakhs are given to Devanagari Konkani and Marathi each. First is to develop Devanagari Konkani and second is to kill Marathi. Entire intellectual class of Hindus is corrupted and polluted. Here I see Virgin Intelligentsia not touched by the grants for the Languages and expect to look at the issue objectively and without prejudice. Here my heart pains. Throughout, Catholics fought for identity of Goans, whatever way they defined it. But no eyebrows were raised when, otherwise communal Parriker declared Goa's identity in the name of Valauliker alias Shenai Goembab. I have limited time. A will answer all related questions. To conclude, the Berlin Wall, Devanagari Konkani must be demolished, razed to ground. Till the morning of 6th Feb.1987, Konkani meant Roman Konkani only. On 7th morning , we were to have Devanagari Konkani and are burning in it ever since. Valauliker, who was buried in Bombay once and surfaced in Goa after 1961 must be re- interned once again and here once for all. Then only Goa and Goans will be able to dream for better future. (Speech Ends) The speech was not read. It is audio/video recorded. There was nearly hour-long question-answer session. A copy of the 6-page letter dt. 12/01/04 addressed to Mr. Luizinho Faleiro, the then President of Pradesh Congress Committee and a 4-page note on "Conspired mis- interpretations of Official language act 1987" were circulated to the audience.
