-------------------------------------------------------------------------- | 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 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Re: "UDAY BHEMBRE's ROAD MAP TO HELL" by Godfrey Gonsalves Part X Godfrey wrote: <<This writer took up cudgels with Mr Bhembre in the question answer session at this meet on 20th October, 2005 which was televised later on the local cable networks and is recorded for posterity by protagonists of both a) and b) but Mr Bhembre neither clarify nor deny the same rather he wriggled out of the situation with long orations to drag the session to well past dinner time with the active support of a novice staunch Bhembre admirer who was innocently fielded as an unassuming moderator.>>
The rest of Godfreys essay is too disjointed to merit any response. A student in the SSC class would have done a better job as far as the quality and intelligibility of the language is concerned. But on the basis of the essay, one might judge the level of the questions which he could have asked of Bhembre. It is no wonder that some of them were probably not allowed by the moderator. But the reaction of Godfrey is predictable. There is a saying in Konkani that a dog always limps on its left leg no matter which part of its body is hit. In like manner, Godfrey accuses the moderator of being a Bhembre admirer. That this is far from true can be seen from the essay on Bhembres talk that he has posted on goa-research-net. In fact some in the audience felt that he should not have permitted Tomazinho to make that frontal attack without any evidence in hand. In a report on the proceedings, Miguel had rued that Bhembre did not give Tomazinho the date and time to produce the evidence. But the fact is that Tomazinho has not been able to ferret out his "evidence" till date i.e. more than 3 weeks after the event. Now let me deal with some of the responses from readers. I hope they will bear with me if I am not taking the points they raised in serial order; the reason is that I have go back to search for the messages and that is not exactly easy considering that I operate from a Cyber Cafe with the help of floppies which sometime go bad without notice. The quotes will be 'cut-and-pasted from the original message. Miguel Braganza wrote: <<Please correct me if I am wrong. I believe that ABE schools taught Konkani in Devanagri script as a single "SUBJECT" and NOT as a MEDIUM OF INSTRUCTION in the post-1962 scenario till 1993-94. the subject was Taught in the primary and secondary school[ upto Std.VII, if I am not mistaken]. If I am wrong, please let me know which schools [ABE or otherwise] had a Konkani Medium of Instruction in 1962 to 1992 period.>> Yes, he is wrong. Nearly half a dozen ABE schools in different parts of Goa conducted Primary classes in the KONKANI MEDIUM in the early 1960s. Two of these were in Margao: Loyola and Fatima. Several of the students of those schools have come up in life. One of those is my former colleague at Chowgule College, J. R. Rebello, currently Principal of Agnel Ashram Multipurpose Higher Secondary School, Verna, Salcete. [His mother too took the trouble to learn the Devanagari script so that she could look after her sons studies. Her own studies had ended with the Portuguese Segundo grau.] Miguel could get these facts confirmed, if he so wishes. Names of other schools and students can also be provided, if required. S.M.Borges
