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Visit http://www.garcabranca.com for details/booking/confirmation. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Ar a meeting held at the Our Lady of Grace Church hall this evening at 1700 hrs organised by the Thomas Stephen Konkani Kendr over thirty tiatrists and few other lovers of Konkani in Roman sript, chalked out the future course of action, keeping in mind the forthcoming month long monsoon session of the Goa Legislative Assembly beginning 10th July, 2006. At the outset Fr Pratap Naik sj Director of TSKK explained "de novo" to the tiatrists that the Official language Act of 1987 had through section 2(c) Konkani language means Konkani language in Devnagari script. divided the Goans and that there is every possibility that both the Konkani language will be extinct and the Goans will be nowhere. He explained that the battle for Konkani as a language began in 1975 when the Sahitya Akademi recognised Konkani as an independent language --- but emphasised that there was no mention of script and that recognition of any language as an independent language does not demand that a language has a script On 21st November, 1981 the Advisory Council for Konkani at the Sahitya Akademi New Delhi (there are such councils for different languages) which constituted a majority of persons from Goa who were only for Konkani in Devanagari script, decided UNANIMOUSLY THAT DEVANAGARI was the natural script for KONKANI with this one decision Roman and other scripts like Kannada Urdu or Malayalam script were discarded by a few persons who had cunning motives. On 4th February, 1987 the Official language Act made a cunning mention of Konkani only in Devanagri script, but at that juncture the most important thing in the minds of Goa was a fear of merger as "we were still an Union Territory "and therefore most of the votaries of both scripts for Konkani ignored this then. On 20th August, 1992 Konkani was included in the VIII schedule of the Constitution (this is a schedule which lists all the languages granted official languages )here too the script was not mentioned. Why then demand for Konkani in Roman script now? The demand for Konkani in Roman script has been there from times immemorial with the people of Goa. It is the Roman script that kept the language alive when it was condemned by many. The Church fully supports it and knowing this has come out with the "Povitr Pustok" the Bible in Roman script Konkani. The fact that nearly 40,000 have booked copies and demand for more is already there signifies that the Roman script is alive and kicking notwithstanding the mischief played by a small cunning section. Today day when the Government wants to give grants NOT ASSISTANCE (IZMOLL) they give it only to Konkani Devanagari script because of the definition in the Official Language Act. If only the word Konkani was mentioned without insisting on only devanagari script then every script would get a share in the Government treasury for the language irrespective of the script. Also note that when Govt spends money it has to be budgetted and accounted under a specific head and this is available for Konkani only in Devanagari script. Thus if any of the undermentioned quasi government offies or the government bodies viz; Kala Academy Goa Konkani Academy Goa Marathi Academy Directorate of Offical Languages Directorate of Culture give grants or have schemes it is only meant for Konkani in Devanagari script and NOT FOR Roman script So what happens a) tiatrists to do not get financial assistance or subsidy for promoting "teatrs" b) they cannot use Government halls of the Ravindra Bhavans, Kala Academy free of cost or at concessional costs or at subsidised costs to perform c) there are no funds provided for the Goan cultural troupes -- by Goan cultural troupes one means those promoting pre colonial culture before 1510 and the colonial cultural troupes upto 1961 which includes dalo fugdi mando dulpods tiatrs etc; d) jobs in the Government go only to those who speak and write Konkani in Devanagari script e) Goa Mando festival is not given grants but "izmoll" assistance depending on which Minister comes to grace the ocassion f)the Goa Konkani Academy has a full fledged office an official car, perquisites for its President equivalent to Class I Gazetted officer, he can travel by air ist class Railway wine and dine at Government Hotels Circuit House in Goa and live in the Goa Sadan at Juhu or Delhi g) literary books are published in Konkani Devanagari script because they get subsidy and no one reads the over 60 books published. h) the Konkani Devanagari script Sunaparant which is condemned by over 70 % Hindus themselves according to Mr Ulhas Buyao ( who was also present and gave full support for Roman script Konkani) gets the largest advertisement being the only newspaper in the official language, though poor in circulation while periodicals like Gulab, Ixtt etc are depending on donations of the NRI's or Goans who have an emotive love of Konkani in the Roman script. i) any cultural theme which reflects the Konkani in Roman script is not welcome in Government schemes j) bhajani mandals get equipment etc like tabla ghumot etc but the church bound choirs do not get violin trumpet drums etc ; only those promoting Western Music which is not the Goan culture get the grants k) If one looks at the budget of the Official Language Act 60% goes to meet the expenses honorarium etc and performances of troupes promoting only Indian not Goan culture sometimes even filmi geet or sangeet get grants in the name of culture but not khell tiatrs choirs Church bands etc; Therefore when one attends a Goan cultural programme one wonders whether they are in Maharashtra or Timbuctoo because there is nothing which reflects the essence of Konkani as is spoken and written with Roman overtones. Tiatrists like Premamand Lotlikar, Prince Jacob Anthony Sans, Konkani mogis, Mario Menezes Kokoy Tomazinho Cardozo Wilson Mazarelo Bonifacio and several others spoke on the ocassion and suggested the following line of action a) Prince Jacob was chosen as the Co-Ordinator of the tiatrists b) They will meet all the ruling party opposition party MLAs and impress upon them the demand for the amendment to the official language Act, to insert the words "and Roman script" now only; c) they will simultaneously seek the blessings of the Archdiocese of Goa and Daman to lend official sanction to this demand d) the proposed amendment Bill will be presented to all the MLA's and MP's e) they will demand clear support from all the MLA's f) they will announce their support for the amendment in all the tiatrs beginning from 25th June 2006 g) they will influence the audience to awaken to the demand for Konkani in Roman script -- its now or never. One of the members present at the meeting announced that during his visit to the talukas in the Novas Conquistas he was surprised to be informed that the Marathi press had indeed given full support for the demand for Konkani in Roman script and youth in these talukas write in the bio data's mother tongue as Konkani. With the enthusiasm shown by the tiatrists the movement got the much needed boost and despite the inclement monsoon weather sporadic showers accompanied by thundershowers and lightening which lashed the State a few hours ago the attendance registered was great and very very vibrant. It is now time up for the politicians who will have to give their written assurances on the amendment fence sitting will not do, or be prepared to face the wrath of the tiatrists. Goans worldwide need to lend a big hand of support to Prince Jacob who now promises to leave no stone unturned for Konkani in Roman script. He promises to set aside differences if any that tiatrists may have for Konkani mai and Romi lipi is dear to his heart. from the Church Hall GODFREY J I GONSALVES BORDA MARGAO GOA [EMAIL PROTECTED] 9822158584 __________________________________________________________ Yahoo! India Answers: Share what you know. Learn something new http://in.answers.yahoo.com/ _____________________________________________ Do not post admin requests to the list. Goanet mailing list (Goanet@goanet.org)