On 10th of February, 2006 at the historic Azad Maidan
at exactly 1530 hrs IST writers,poets, triatist,
musicians, lay persons, persons from various religious
denominations priests, nuns, activist and all those
Konkani loving people who believe in ONE LANGUAGE
KONKANI DIVERSITY IN SCRIPT --- will converge --- to
reiterate our demand to:
----ENSURE THAT besides Devanagari any other script
WILL BE ACCEPTABLE FOR THE GROWTH OF KONKANI LANGUAGE
-Roman, Kannada, Urdu, Persian whatever AND THUS UNDO
IMMEDIATELY what M/s
1) Ravindra Kelekar, 2)) Uday L Bhembre,
3) Chandrakant Keni 4) Dr Manoharrai Sardessai
5) Bakibab Borkar 6) Dr D Sukhtankar from Goa,
7) N Purushottam Mallya ( Kerala ) and three others as
Convenor and members of the Advisory Board for Konkani
did clandestinely on over twenty four years ago ---on
21st November,1981 at the Sahitya Academy New Delhi
---albeit acting "unauthorisedly" on behalf ALL
KONKANI SPEAKING PEOPLE and unanimously recommending
that
"DEVANAGARI SHOULD REMAIN THE SCRIPT FOR KONKANI"
II Demand to amend THE GOA DAMAN & DIU OFFICIAL
LANGUAGE ACT of 1987 to include in sec 2 (c)
Definition of "Konkani language" means Konkani in
Devanagari script ----------AND ROMAN SCRIPT.
This show of strenght not of numbers but spirited
citizens is because a gross injustice has been done
a) by our then elected representatives in 1987 and
subsequent elected representatives till this day
b) by the Archdiocese of Goa & Daman which controls
over 125 diocesan schools by eliminating the use of
Konkani in Roman script slowly but surely and
imposing only Konkani in devanagari script .
And what a shame --- look at these facts ---Of the
total population of Goa in 2001 i.e 13,47,668, there
are 26.68% Christians,i.e 3,59,557 odd Christians.
Thus of the present members of Parliament & the Goa
Legislative Assembly there is
1) Mr Churchill Braz Alemao MP
(Mormugao Parliamentary Constituency) to represent
interests of 3,59,557 Catholics and of the 14 MLAs
six (*) Ministers could easily represent the interests
of 59926 catholics each.
1) Dr. Wilfred de Souza, Saligao (*)
2) Luizinho Faleiro, Navelim (*)
3) Francisco DSouza, Mapusa
4) Francisco Sardinha, Curtorim
5) Filipe Neri Rodrigues ,Velim (*)
6) Mathany Saldhana,Cortalim (subjudice)
7) Agnelo Fernandes, Calangute
8) Aleixo Sequeira, Loutolim
9) Giovanni Karl Vaz, Mormugao
10)Victoria R. Fernandes St. Cruz
11) Atanasio Monserrate, Taleigao (*)
12) Francisco Silveira, St. Andre
13) Francisco X. (Micky) Pacheco, Benaulim (*)
14) Joaquim Braz Alemao, Cuncolim (*)
Take a further look of these MLA's top six qualified
beyond graduation next three graduates one
matriculate with certificate course and rest
undergraduates and matriculates. The lone MP is upto
matriculate.
Assuming for the sake of argument that once elected
all of the above irrespective of political party
affiliation have interest of nursing their
Constituencies in mind; the question foremost on the
mind of the electorate that voted them to power ----
Have these Catholics by birth (let us not go into the
aspect of whether they still practice the Catholic
faith) address themselves primarily to the Catholic
voters?
Why should the lovers of Konkani -- in both scripts
need to take to the streets on every issue affecting
the interests of the Catholics.
Why do the these elected representatives confess in
private that they support the views --- of the people
on the issue of Konkani in both Devanagari and Roman
script but are fight shy to bring about an amendment
bill in the Goa Legislative Assembly or to undo the
harm done at the Sahitya Academy in New Delhi?
Do we need such spineless elected representatives to
represent us? Are they fit to be called as LAW MAKERS
both at the Centre and in the State Assemblies?
This has shamed Goa in the eyes of the rest of the
country. The conduct and performance of our Christian
MLAs and MP.
Therefore Goans worldwide let us not let these elected
representatives doze in their slumber --- of making
hay while the sun shines--- filling up their own
coffers. Let us open thier eyes to the fate that will
befall us if these elected representatives do not have
the COURAGE OF CONVICTION to stand by what the
electorate demands --- Konkani is our mother-tongue 19
years of the Official language act has benefitted only
3% of the Saraswat Hindu Brahmins and none other.
They have used some Hindu Bahujan leaders who now with
economic empowerment either camouflage their surnames
Naik to Nayak or hide their surnames N instead of
Naik to project themselves as belonging to the upper
caste ---only because that alone would ensure them
crumbs from the Directorate of Official Languages, the
Goa Konkani Akademy and other bodies by way of doles
from the Government--- and there are a few old
Catholic priests as well in the evening of their lives
and some uppers caste Catholics too --- propogating
only one script one language --- Konkani -- in
devanagari--- frightened by a canard floated by some
that the Marathi protoganist will create turmoil if
this amendment is conceded which is nothing but a
blatant lie.
It is also intended to protest the action of the
Government of Goa, under the stewardship of the Chief
Minister, Mr Pratapsing Raoji Rane also the Minister
for Official languages to agree to sanction Rupees 12
lakhs ----(to a defunct body of the All India Konkani
Sahitya Parishad whose last renewal of registration
(No 6/78 )was not done since 11th June 200 till date)
-- for the celebration of the 25th session of the
"All India Konkani Sahitya Parishad" translated means
(all india konkani literary meet)
The first of its kind was held in Karwar in 1939
nearly 66 years ago where an Advocate and thinker Mr
Manjunath spoke of universalisation of all Konkani
speaking people under one script Devanagari.
Come lend us your hand --- keep the flame of Konkani
flying ----- on the AZAD MAIDAN GROUNDS
GODFREY J I GONSALVES
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
9822158584
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