ROMI LIPI ACTION FRONT TSKK B.B. Borkar road Alto Porvorim, Goa - 403 521, INDIA E-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] Convenor: Mr. Wilson Mazarello Mobile: 9822121474 Spokesman: Fr. Pratap Naik, S.J. Mobile: 9850658565
ROMI LIPI ACTION FRONT IS IN ACTION At an impressive meet at Our Lady of Grace Church Hall this evening 7th August, 2006 at 4.30 p.m. under the auspices of the "ROMI LIPI" ACTION FRONT, Prince Jacob made it clear that --- " our demands are for "Romi Lipi" by just making an amendment to section 2(c) by inserting therein "/Roman script" the Goa Daman and Diu Official language Act 1987 and there was no other demand whatsoever. Referring to the decision of the Congress Legislative Party decision of 31st July, 2006 Prince Jacob re- iterated that the decision on Roman script was welcomed and therefore, it would be wrong to draw other conclusions. Prince Jacob also stated that during an interaction held with Mr A R Antulay the Union Minister handling the Minorities portfolio, Mr Antulay assured them that he had already made it very clear at the felicitation function of ex Union Minister Mr Ramakant D Khalap on his 60th birthday, at the Kala Academy on 5th July 2006 that Konknni in Roman script would be made the official language and that Konknni alone is the mother tongue of Goa. Prince Jacob warned the lovers of Roman script, which included a sizeable number of tiatrists some veterans, and others that there was a lot of mis- representation of facts and distortion of news. This was bound to happen since it is for the first time that those for Konknni ONLY in Devanagari script were shocked by the ground swell support, the movement has received from all sections of the Goan society even after 19 years of injustice. Further Prince Jacob reiterated that the seven martyrs would not rest in peace for "Goans shed their blood sweat and tears for Konknni and not for Konknni in Devanagari script -- we were cheated by the likes of Uday L Bhembre who now constitute the think tank of the Congress. He warned that all tiatrists would contest the 40 assembly seats if the government does not go ahead with grant of official language status to Roman script, before the forthcoming polls; at least he would file his nomination against all those who oppose this amendment in the forthcoming elections. Earlier in his opening address Mr Wilson Mazarello veteran tiatrist illustrated the various steps taken beginning from the movement launched by the Dalgado Konknni Akademi since December 2004 before the CLP decision was arrived at. He demanded that there should be an ordinance before 31 August 2006 and later if it does not come about the agitation will start. As Convenor of the "Romi Lipi" Action Front, with office at TSKK B B Borkar Rd, Alto Porvorim, Goa, email id -- [EMAIL PROTECTED], tel No: +91 832 2415857, 241 5864 Mobile 9850658565 Mr Mazarello cautioned the public NOT to be misguided by the Press, which often indulged in half-truths to wean away the forces supporting the language script. Fr Pratap Naik, S.J. now appointed as the sole official spokesperson for the Romi Lipi Action Front since 31st July 2006, informed the public that contrary to what was reported, the beginnings of Konknni in Devanagari was initiated immediately after the Liberation of Goa, when a few Konknni only in Devanagari script protagonists felt in 1964 that Konknni in Devanagari script too should be taught in schools. They cleverly introduced their dialect under the guise of Devanagari script in Catholic schools. Later a ten member Advisory board of the Sahitya Akademi in which except for late Fr Antonio Pereira, S.J. who was a staunch Romi lipi supporter, all others were pro- Konknni ONLY in Devanagari script passed the resolution on 21.11.1981 unanimously adopting a resolution to make Devanagari the script for Konknni. This needs to be undone, as it was not done in consultation with the people of Goa and other Konknnis. He said that this was the beginning of the damage done to our mother tongue. He too reiterated that even as a priest he felt it his moral duty and more so by his vocation to stand by the will of the people and not be cowed down by those who tend to create rifts. Fr Naik stated that most of the Press resorted to distortion of news and provoked confusion. Mr Radharao Gracias ex MLA claimed that his family belonged to freedom fighters they were nationalists as can be seen from the fact that they all have Indian names give to members of his family. Mr Gracias stated that it was common for these pro-Konknni only in Devanagari script protagonists to brand others as antinationalist. " If they were nationalists why should they be wearing pant and shirt instead of dhoties or pudvims?" "Why should the women folk now wear salwar kameez instead of sarees? Why eat p�o and bhaji (made of potatoes, tomatoes and chillies, which were the contribution of Portuguese to Goa? This clearly reveals their hypocrite attitude. Others who spoke on the occasion were MP Mr Churchill Alemao, who pledged his support for Konknni in Roman script. Mr Ulhas Buy�o, castigated those who were exposing the cause of Shenoy G�ybab of Bicholim. "Who is this Shenoy that the pro Konknni only in Devanagari votaries are projecting as their mascot? " He said that this young lad who spent most of his life time in Mumbai was working in Goa for only a year or so? Could this Shenoy understand the culture and linguistic nuances of Konknni in this short period? " He expressed his firm resolve to support any one who was for Konknni in Roman script for it had an over 500 years history unlike Devanagari which was a recent development. Later the platform was thrown open to the public to express their views tiatrist Mr John Gomes "Kokoy" Mr Alberto Leitao of Varca, Mr Floriano Lobo from Goa Suraj Party and several others spoke in support of a strong movement to pursue the issue of Konknni in Roman script. Meanwhile according to a source in the Goa Pradesh Congress Committee, the meeting was convened today afternoon at 3.30 p.m. by GPCC President Mr Ravi S Naik to discuss the script issue. The Chief Minister Mr Pratapsing Raoji Rane was not present as he had left for Mumbai, it is also known that the Deputy Speaker Ms Victoria Fernandes did not participate due to death of her sister in Mumbai. It is not clear whether the conclave could decide any resolution though Mr Atanasio (Babush) Monserrate was also present. Incidentally the number of Institutions that have come under the banner of the Roman Lipi Action Front has now increased to 40. More and more institutions were coming forward to join the bandwagon, for its now or never. Photos attached for perusal and free circulation. Fr. Pratap Naik, S.J. Spokesperson Martyrs do not need tombstones. Konknni has seven martyrs. Do we need the eigth one to get Officail recognition to Roman script? _______________________________________________ Goanet mailing list [email protected] http://lists.goanet.org/listinfo.cgi/goanet-goanet.org
