Following a tele-talk this evening with Ward No:XIV Margao Municipal Councillor Ms Auda Viegas an office bearer of the United Goans Democratic Party who contested unsuccessfully the last Lok Sabha election she confirmed to this writer that it was she who had raised the issue of official recognition for Konkani in Roman script at the UGDP meeting.
However as this matter was not included in the agenda, a full fledged discussions has been kept for the next meeting. It is also of interest to note that Dr Wilfred Anthony De Souza's NCP Party has through it office bearer Mr Surendra Furtado expressed his party's keeness in rectifying the injustice done to Konkani in the Roman script. These are positive signs and a clear indication that by and large political parties including the BJP as confirmed by this writer in a brief talk with the ex CM Manohar Parrikar now Leader of the Opposition on 29 August, 2005 who personally confessed his inclination towards doing justice to Roman script though he needed to deliberate on the same with the Party MLAs. As a matter of fact Mr Francis D Souza BJP MLA Mapusa is wholly for rectification of this gross injustice. Meanwhile some legal brains are examining the proposed private members draft Bill for the amendment to the Goa Daman and Diu Official Language Act 1987. This draft has been necessitated as the Indian National Congress Party and its "Cristao MLAs" and others who depend on the Catholic vote bank in the Velhas Conquistas have become prisoners of their conscience to speak out loud and clear, on this issue though in private they admit to the injustice by a section of the Hindu Brahmins. With many fence sitters among the current crop of MLA's it is certain that by the winter session of the Goa Legislative Assembly they will come out openly for or against, or they will have to be pulled up by the electorate to either express for or against. A few MGP ex MLAs who this writer spoke to mainly from the Bahujan Samaj (non Brahmins) agree that an injustice was indeed done in 1987 but blame the Archdiocese of Goa and Daman top heirarchy especially Dr Raul Niclau Gonsalves for bending head over heals to the dicatates of a section of the Hindu Brahmins who infiltrated into the policy making body in the garb of secularist and impressed upon the Diocese to force Konkani in Devanagiri in Primary schools phasewise from 1989-90 at a time when the teachers were themselves learners of the Devanagiri script alongwith the children. The only concession was the "liberal assessment" which ensured that children of Catholic parents were "declared pass" just to ease the pressure on them. With the signature campaign given the green signal by the Catholic Church there is a clear indication that the Diocesan schools have planned for a change in policy decision and will permit Konkani in Roman script to those interested by the academic year 2006-07. According to a survey conducted by this writer there is a ground swell of parents willing to impart Konkani in Roman script once it gains official language status alongside Devanagiri script. They are for it because this education will be free and the Government can ensure that teachers are imparted training in Konkani in Roman script for the primary schools. With nearly 125 schools and each school having a minimum of 20 students per class it is easy to have 2500 students for the next academic year 2006-07. While the others can opt for Konkani in Devanagiri script. Meanwhile this writer has information that a Minister in the Goa Legislative Assembly who was on a tour aboard was put into embarrassment when the hosts asked him to express his stand for or against the Roman script, which he did but only after he was cornered for his duplicity. There is now a fear among MLAs of being confronted by the electorate in the coming days as the movement builds up both for "NO TO MOPA" likely to linked to KONKANI in ROMAN SCRIPT. GODFREY J I GONSALVES BORDA MARGAO GOA. [EMAIL PROTECTED] 9822158584