KONKANI SAHITYA PARISHAD AND FASCISM The all India Konkani Sahitya Parishad, a defunct and obsolete body of manipulators, is dictating terms to others as to what script Konkani should have and which Bhasha Mandal should be taken under its fold. Mr. Madhav Manjunath Shanbhag, formed the All India Konkani Sahitya Parishad in 1939 in Karwar. His vision in forming this body was to exchange the best amongst the Konkanis spread across the Konkan region and to unite Konkanis. The Parishad remained somewhat faithful to Shanbhag's avowed noble objective until 1975. It gave due recognition to the minority Konkanis, who steadfastly stood by the language and its culture.
Post 1975 the Parishad was hijacked by a coterie of Devanagari fundamentalists. Their ideas were not in conformity with Shanbhag's, but reflected those of Hitler and Mussolini. The ideals of Madhav Shanbhag on which Parishad was founded, were discarded by these fanatics and new mantra was adopted , i.e., One Language, One Script, One Literature and One Society based on Hitler's philosophy "One Language, One Race, One Nation". The devastating results of the Nazi enforcement of its obnoxious , inhuman and perverted ideals were for everyone to see. Hitler annihilated six million Jews, including women and children not only in Germany but also in Poland to enforce his view on others. This one nation, one language one religion theory is also propagated and religiously followed by the Sangh Pariwar. The economic hegemony of the world powers, to enslave the world's poor countries, through globalization revolves around the same line of thinking. It is outright obsolete and redundant. It only aims to dominate and thereby suppress the unsuspecting voiceless masses. They are pushed to the brink and indoctrinated to believe, that their language, script, literature and culture are inferior, that they are pro-western and unsuitable to come into the sanctum sanctorum of Konkani. The tricky and forcible imposition of Devanagari, is a deliberate conspiracy to denationalize the minority community. The plan promotes the casteist ideologies of Manu, the Patron Saint of these cowards, who only cheered from their roof-tops, when bus loads of Konkani agitators where marching towards Azad Maidan to fight for Konkani. These agitators faced brickbats, lathis and bullets, whereas a few fundamentalists are enjoying the privileges that accrued as a result of the blood shed by the brave Konkani agitators. It is a historical fact and hard reality, that the minority community was used during the opinion poll, the language agitation and also during the fight for Statehood. No tangible benefits have accrued to them out of any of these agitations. The centuries old Roman script literature, the sacrifices and the martyrdom that the community has suffered, have all gone down the drain and in vain. Coming back to the Parishad, a body of desecrators who rise from hibernation once in two years. What has the Parishad done for Konkani, in Goa where it is the Official Language? The Govt. still patronizes, Marathi medium schools at the primary level and also at the secondary level. Has the Parishad done anything to change the medium to Konkani? The minority community runs 125 Konkani medium primary schools, but the majority community runs only 8 Konkani medium primary schools, and 77 Marathi medium primary schools. The minority community's 126 High schools offer Konkani as a third language, whereas out of the 158 High schools of the majority community only 76 schools offer Konkani as a third language. Why is the Sahitya Parishad not interested in changing this scenario? and why it maintains its stoic silence on this issue? Is it because the Konkani Sahitya Parishad does only lip service to Konkani, and its true loyalties lie with Marathi? I appreciate the Marathiwadis, they practice what they preach, but the Sahitya Parishad members only bask in hypocrisy. They label their own Konkani brothers as 'Deshi Pakhles' (homebred foreigners) and do not stop to spew venom on fellow Goans, when the issue of Roman Script is raised. The Govt. should stop giving grants to the Parishad and other Konkani institutions, who in the name of official language swindle money. Let the same money be spent by the Govt. on bettering the lot of the suffering public. The funds allotted for Konkani are used by these disgruntled crooks who do nothing for Konkani, but are bent upon dividing the Konkanis for their ulterior gains. Sensible Goans, who have a love for their land and the language, should disown and discard this farce called Konkani Sahitya Parishad. The Parishad and its devious activists should be boycotted. The Parishad is not a representative body of Konkanis. It does not adhere to democratic norms. It is against the basic tenants of pluralism and natural justice. It believes and promotes "unity in uniformity". True Konkani lovers have seen through the game of these wolves in sheep clothes. Men of impeccable character and integrity should be appointed by the Govt. to run Konkani institutions. Let Konkani go forward, for in its development lies Goa's future. Nelson Lopes Chinchinim Ph:2863327