FIGHT FOR ROMI KONKANI
According to the statement of Uday Bhembro a hard core Konknni Nagrivadi and
die hard anti-Romivadi, regarding the demand for equal status for Romi
Konkani on par with Nagri Konknni,
WILL ONLY CREATE BAD BLOOD AND HELP PRO-MARATHI ELEMENTS FISH IN TROUBLED
WATERS. THE ISSUES COULD HAVE BEEN SORTED OUT ACROSS THE TABLE." As far as
I am concerned, I have no trust anymore on Uday Bhembro, he is no more to be
trusted and he and his clique in Nagrivadis should be treated as enemies of
Romivadis and that of Christians. Because of imposition of Nagri Konknni on
us, we Christians are made to suffer and made to accept as second class
Goans. There was a time I used to respect Uday Bhemro as real genuine,
trustworthy and a real SECULAR MAN but now I have lost all my faith in him.
He is no more secular, if he is secular then he should support the
minority Christians. He frightens us saying because of the dispute between
Romivadis and Nagrivadis, Marathivadis will take advantage. What
advantage? When did Marathivadis support us? We Romivadis flourished and
promoted Konkani by making it as the language of God. Nagrivadis still keep
MARATHI as the language of their Gods and Goddesses. We Christians
flourished and developed Konkani as our cultural language by using and
popularising it thru our Tiatros, Mandos, Dulpods, Dekhnis etc. while
Nagrivadis still use it in their Nattoks and other cultural activities which
are performed in Marathi which is foreign to Goa like Portuguese. Dalgado
Academy, social activists and journalist Godfrey Gonsalves should not stop
in their moves till Uday and others succumb to our requests. Let us be
forceful in our demands and conviction. Nagrivadis are leaning more towards
Marathi in the name of Nagri Konknni. They want Konknni only to enjoy the
benefits such as Sahitya Academy Awards and financial doles in lakhs of
rupees from the Government in the form of grants. Some of them are in fact
living on this. The Sahitya Academy Awards are like joke for me. Once
Gurunath Kelekar while I was his Kuwait correspondent of Novem Goem Daily
told me Anton, you write a book on Foot-ball and I will give you Sahitya
Academy Award. When I asked him how is it possible? He replied saying
it is my look out. Then I realised how only a few influential people are
distributing these awards within their own circle as if it is their fathers
property. Rawindra Kelekar then was an influential man in awarding these
awards. Then I came to know the joke of awarding these prizes and made up
my mind to dissociate myself from this nonsense awards which are nothing but
a big joke and it will remain a joke only till it is gifted on silver
platter to Nagrivadis only.
Nagrivadis will never easily give cooperation to Romivadis. They feel they
are superior and others like us Romivadis inferior. But I can tell them
that the best of literary work of Romi writers namely of Marian Vaz &
Damaciano Caridade are not read by them. Besides these two, I am sure
Nagrivadis have not seen any of the best writings and books written by
gigantic Romi Writers. They are only harping on Shennoy Goembab because he
is a Hindu Nagrivadi? I am sure Nagrivadis will not give due credit for the
good work done by the Christians. We should not be afraid of the hoax of
Marathivadis in the name of creating disunity amongst us. Disunity amongst
us has already been created by Nagrivadis headed by Uday Bhembro and others.
It is better to surface this disunity now then later on when it is going
to be too late. In every Goan movement we the Christians only are made to
sacrifice and suffer like Konkani martyrs and when the time of benefits come
only the Hindus take chance as if we are the second class citizens.
Recently there was meeting in Goa on Opinion Poll. Shantaram Naik said
that we must erect a monument indicating the symbol of Two Leaves and
somebody said Nehru was the hero of Opinion Poll. I ask now, where is the
name of Dr. Jack de Sequeira gone? Why not the monument of Dr. Sequeira?
Is it because Dr. Sequeira is a Christian? And why Nehru should be
considered as the hero of Opinion Poll when Nehru himself internally wanted
Goas merger with Maharastra to please the Congress lobby from Maharastra
headed by Y. B. Chavan and V.P. Naik? We Christians are not communal for
this reason we allowed so much of rope for Nagrivadis. Now it is our turn to
raise our voice and be assertive of our rights. In this bargain the Goa
Church and its leadership must come out openly in support of our demands for
the equal rights demand for Romi Konkani. In the dispute between Romi and
Nagri Konknni, if Nagrivadis are allowed to win. the losses are of
Christians and as leaders of Christian community Goa Church should lend its
support for our demand before we suffer in our lossess. Our Church cannot
remain now as silent spectator when our enemies in Nagri camp want to
eradicate us from the Goan scene making us inferior Goans when we are not.
If Church has got real interest and think good of its followers then it must
come out with open support for the cause of Romivadis otherwise Goan
Catholics will consider the act of silence of Goa Church as an act of
sabotage.
A. Veronica Fernandes,
Kuwait.
_________________________________________________________________
FREE pop-up blocking with the new MSN Toolbar - get it now!
http://toolbar.msn.click-url.com/go/onm00200415ave/direct/01/
