APARTHEID IN KONKANI
About 22 years back approximately, I was in Goa on vacation. Because I was
Kuwaits correspondent of his weekly Goemcho Mog , Gurunath Kelekar the
brother of my Professor, S. Kelekar, at St. Xaviers College, Mapusa, was
close to me. With him I moved and mingled with many of the die hard
Nagrivadis even though I am a Romivadi. Gurunath Kelekar after engaging
himself in Nagri Konknni finally landed in Romi Konknni and initiated Romi
Konknni weekly Goemcho Mog. For some years our honey moon was going very
well. The Novem Goem Pratisthan movement was his baby which we Kuwaitkars
strongly supported and fabulously funded but inspite of our excessive
financial support the members of NGP failed in their duties. The main
culprit was Gurunath Kelekar himself because he came forward first and
withdrew from it first only creating chaos in the running of NGP and in the
editorship of the daily Novem Goem. Besides Gurunath Kelekar all other
trustees of NGP were novices or ignorant of running of the press. All of
them were selected by Gurunath Kelekar only and that too by knowing their
weaknesses very well. May be Gurunath wanted to cash on their ignorance and
weaknesses to rule over NGP. Because of my support for NGP from Kuwait and
also because of my being the correspondent of NG daily from Kuwait, we,
Gurunath Kelekar and me both of us created strong rapport which lasted till
the invasion of Kuwait. During the invasion period Gurunath Kelekar didnt
even bother to enquire about me, whether I am alive or dead, he did not even
enquire whether we the Kuwaitkar Konknnivadis who supported him and his
movement are alive or dead. Why he alone, no Konknnivadi bothered to show
his concern for us when we were so close to Konkani movement in Goa, leave
aside all the trustees of NGP. When he wanted my assistance for his survival
to rule NGP he was writing to me pleading me to come to Goa to sort out the
mess he created in NGP. Hence I realized the quality of this man whose
ingratitude was supreme. And now it is time for me to express myself freely
and openly so that others will learn some lessons from our past actions. But
in Konkani circle, the most ungrateful people are overwhelming majority of
Nagrivadis. Their attitude is "Kam zalem, voiz melo". Use Romivadis for
the recognition of Konkani and then dump them into garbage. This is what
has happened in Goa now and for this reason Romivadis have awakened now,
even though it is rather late. But late or no late, time is ripe now to
fight for our rights.
While I was in Goa 22 years ago as indicated above, Gurunath Kelekar one day
invited me and himself took me to T.B. Cunha Hall, Panaji, for one meeting
of Konkani Lekokh Sangh. It was totally dominated by Nagrivadis who all
thought they were great literary figures on Konkani field. From their pose
of talking, seating and presenting themselves one could feel that they are
some extra ordinary genii when they are nothing. I found most of them one
eyed persons amongst the blind. They felt that they were the masters of
Konknni in Nagri script and their Konknni is perfect compared to that of
Romivadis. As a matter of fact because of their primary education in
Marathi up to 4th standard only in Goan Marathi Xallas, they were closer to
Nagri script and because of their proximity with Marathi from their early
and first education, in the name of Konknni they applied Marathi words to
their Konknni and made us believe that their Konknni is correct Konknni.
But to say that only their Konknni is correct Konknni, who authorized them?
Who and which authority gave them certificates saying their Konknni is
correct and that of Romivadis Konkani is wrong? The only plus point in them
is that because of their closeness to Marathi they can write and read Nagri
Konknni well. But this does not mean that they are omnipotent.
While I took my seat for the meeting at T.B. Cunha Hall, Gurunath Kelekar
introduced me to the members of Lekokh Sangh saying that I am a strong
Konknnivadi, writing for Konknni Newspapers, doing lot of good work for the
cause of Konknni in Kuwait etc.. Hearing this, every member started looking
at each other with questionable looks which puzzled me a lot but my puzzle
was immediately solved when the chairman of that meeting Shivdas Naik asked
Gurunath Kelekar rather sarcastically thus Does he know Nagri Konknni to
write and read? I felt little embarrassed the way this question was posed.
The tone and rhythm of the question gave me an impression that those who
are ignorant of Nagri Konknni are unfit to be in Konkani activities. Then I
immediately interrupted the proceedings and forcefully questioned Gurunath
Kelekar thus Is it necessary to know Nagri Konknni only to be somebody in
Konkani activities? Gurunath sensed my mood and said no it is not like
that but Shivdas simply asked that question and you dont take it bad.
Then again forcefully I said "when we from Kuwait patronise Konkani that
time why dont you people pose the same question? When we patronize your
books, papers and Konkani movement that time you keep silence. This is not
correct". Purshottam Kakodkar tried to pacify me but I told Kakodkar that
because of this type of apartheid in Konkani movement, we will never unite
as one Konkani community and you Nagrivadis will never unite with Romivadis.
Thru chickanery Nagri Konknni was imposed on us by a few Nagrivadis. If
we do not challenge them now, then there is every possibility for these few
Nagrivadis not only to Brahminise and Sanscritise our sweet Konkani but also
to Marathise our Konkani and with it the entire Goa. It is time now to stop
Bhembers, Shivdases, Dileeps, Kelekars, Mauzos, Naiks and others by exposing
their misdeeds towards Romivadis. We the Romivadis have more rights to
speak on Konkani because we make use of Konkani more than few Saraswat
Nagrivadis. Our real enemies are not Marathivadis only, our real enemies
are Nagrivadis also. Let the world know about it. Meantime, all our
supporters must unite now to boycott the goods and services of Nagrivadis
who are trying to convert us Romivadis as second class Goans and this
boycott must first start from Majorda by boycotting the Posro of Bhahi by
all the Romivadis.
A. Veronica Fernandes,
Kuwait.
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