Dear Pratap, Thanks for posting ARK's piece. I believe it was also posted earlier on Goanet (within the past twelve months), by Miguel Braganza, if I am not mistaken. But often, for understanding to develop, multiple readings are required. Thanks again.
Aristotle's Four Causes sound very simple, but to argue on any matter by apllying them requires well more than just time -- issues have to be learnt to be seen from various angles. Our people have short memories, besides the lack of desire and the ability see truth as it stares at them. Without getting into detail, we have dunked ourselves into all manner of affiliations, set in conservatisms; stupendously proud of pithy logic, expecting every issue to be debated towards etiologies of separation. But say "truth" and there will be a deviation into something other than what the word "truth" meant to that particular discussion. No wonder many people shudder at anything abstract (and understanding as such) outside of the sciences. Ashok Row Kavi mentioned Goa's soporific calm being shattered for ever. That is now a fact. We revel in polarization, left to right or center, center this or that; religious, sexual orientations, etc. In India, there will be even more groupings, but other than the XY plane in terms of categorizations (left, leftist, right, activist [but uttered derisvely]), as in the world over, the Z plane is not employed. All attacks are conducted in the two dimensional by spposedly 3 dimensional beings -- aware, realized, cognitive, perceptual beings. No wonder it sounds ludicrous for us to imagine Gandhi wanting people to spin the charka. There were many things odd about him, but at least he would have taught Indians to slow time, see time and what greed rather than need brings to us all. Sounds corny but was not. (more on this sometime). I believe that this is a good time for Ashok Row Kavi's piece to appear on Goanet because the manipulation it revealed, also currently dovetails with a broad range of discussions currently on Goanet. I also feel that this piece should appear every year on Goanet at the very least in memory of Florian Vaz. Let us never forget Floriano Vaz, and the others, as well as the other politician players, including then Inspector Narayan Yetavale. Ashok Row Kai was courageoous to point this out. Talking about brutality to serve an insult -- cutting up genitals as in 1987 in Agacaim is not something that one hardly hears in India. To conclude -- we are often asked / demanded to speak on behalf of our communities (even though many of us fit to stand on a number of platforms) on a number of issues for and against, but on this issue I do not remember having heard much from anyone other than Christians. In the past, I have pointed out that this is not just a Christian issue. And there are benefits that far outweight any scores to be settled. Infact many of the younger folk in these powerful families, must be asking their elders this question just about now. But I also guess its easier to get them a degree abroad in comparative literatures, and still screw the masses. Now whats funny is this, that I managed to say all this without blaming anyone; had I even inadvertently done so then the logicians would have been happy to analyze my not so funny text. Peace people. Shanti. venantius From: pratap naik <[email protected]> Subject: [Goanet] Settling old Scores The following article by Ashok R. Kavi describes in detail the language agitation in Goa in 1987 and other important related issues. On 20 December 1986 Floriano Vaz was shot dead during the language agitation in Goa. He became the first martyr of Konknni.? On 21st December 2006 six more were killed.? Many people may not be aware of the details of their death. This article will enlighten them with facts. The Saraswat group which dominated and manipulated then continues to resist to amend the Official Language Act now and to give equal status to Konknni written in Roman script. They are making use of a few priests and Catholic lay persons who mainly use Roman script but oppose it the official recognition! Goa is a land of paradox.? After 22 years on the same day of Floriano Vaz's death anniversary, Dalgado Konknni Akademi organises two days First Konknni Conference (Roman Script) at Ravindra Bhavan, Margao.? Let us hope that this conference will achieve its main objective, namely to obtain the official status to Konknni in Roman script in the Goa Official Language Act 1987. Dr. Pratap Naik, S.J. ? SETTLING OLD SCORES By Ashok Row Kavi was first published in THE WEEK issue of January 18-24. 1987 Goa's soporific calm has been shattered beyond repair. A language, which held the Goans in good stead during the Portuguese rule, has ironically divided the little Union territory now. Yet, little has changed. The paper stars of Bethlehem twinkle quietly and chains of small colourful bulbs still glow though Christmas is past and the tulsis are decorated with kumkum in the dewy mornings. Trouble had been brewing for long, but the cauldron boiled over only six months ago, when the lone MLA of Goa Congress, Luizinho Faleiro introduced in the assembly a mischievous bill urging the government of Pratapsingh Rane to make Konkani the sole official language of Goa. The bill, badly worded and plainly provocative, was a gauntlet thrown at the Marathi protagonists in the Congress. (deleted)
