Separatist ideas will not help Konkani in any way
By Uday Bhembre Dr. Francisco Colaco (Herald:October, 23) has missed the point. It appears that his mind is influenced more by the headline of a news item in a newspaper (not Herald) than by the deliberations and the decisions of the General Council of Kala Academy. It is absolutely false that Kala Academy has shut the door on Konkani written in Roman script or that it has done injustice to Romi writers. To make a sweeping allegation that Konkani in Roman script has been receiving step-motherly treatment from a group of staunch Devanagri script supporters is more a prejudice than the truth. What saddens me and those on my wavelength is that it smells of a communal bias born perhaps out of a misinformation campaign started by self-interested persons. Dr. Colaco has not been able to appreciate the logic behind the decision of the General Council as he has not considered it in proper prospective and with objectivity. There were two decisions of the Executive Board relating to Konkani that came before the General Council for ratification on October, 12. they were Decision No. 10 and 11. Decision No. 10 was that books published in Roman script should be considered along with books published in Devanagari script for the annual Literary Award for the best book in Konkani. This decision was ratified without any objection or reservation. As per this decision a Konkani book published in Roman script is eligible for annual Literary Award. How is the door shut on Romi script? Decision No. 11 was to the effect that Literary Awards be given script-wise for Konkani books. Similarly Gomant Sharada Puraskar (Lifetime Achievement Award) be given language-wise and again script-wise. I did express a view contrary to this Decision No. 11. Much before I did so the Advisory Committee on literature which consists of 7 members had also expressed a similar view and had conveyed it to the Executive Board. I never objected to the consideration of books published in Roman script. What I objected to was segregation, separatism and communalization of language and literature. I did so because I firmly believe that separatist ideas about Konkani will harm the language as well as the socio-cultural unity of Goans besides leading us into the trap set up by communal and divisive forces. I requested the General Council to reconsider Decision No. 11 in the light of the observations made by the Advisory Committee on literature. All the members had opportunity to express their views. Most members supported the view expressed by the Advisory Committee on literature and accordingly the General Council thought it wise not to ratify Decision No. 11. Gomant Sharada Puraskar is an award to honour the lifetime achievement of any Goan writer writing in any language. It is neither language-specific nor script-specific. A Goan writer writing in Konkani, Marathi, Hindi, English or Portuguese is eligible for this award. Naturally, a Goan writer writing Konkani in Roman script is definitely eligible. So, how does the question of script arise? Why should there be segregation on the basis of language and script for a life time achievement award? Social leaders like Dr. Francisco Colaco who have power to think and capacity to understand will be able to guide the society better if they apply their mind to such issues more objectively, without prejudices and without being influenced by separatist ideas. Konkani suffers from fragmentation of various kinds. Efforts over the last 70 years have been intended to overcome this fragmentation. Will it be wise to perpetuate it by pursuing separatist ideas and bifurcating Konkani into two or more separate languages? http://oheraldo.in/pagedetails.asp?nid=3605&cid=14 Sanny de Quepem <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Send instant messages to your online friends http://uk.messenger.yahoo.com
