MARGAO
The Global Romi Lipi Abhiyan has hailed the decision of the Supreme Court, to allow the use of Urdu language, on the sign board of the new building of Patur Municipal Council in Akola district of Maharashtra.
Saying that Urdu was opposed because it is considered as a foreign language, GRLA president Kennedy Afonso said the SC emphasised that language should not become a cause for division in society, and that we must rejoice in our diversity, including many languages.
Kennedy said the SC has observed “Language is not a religion, and does not even represent religion. Language belongs to a community, to a region, to people, and not to religion. Language is a culture, and is a yardstick to measure the civilisational march of a community and its people.”
Saying the GRLA welcomes the decision of the SC, Kennedy said this decision holds good for Roman script. “The powers that be have marginalised Roman script, a script used by the minority community by not giving it equal status in the Official Language Act, nor it being allowed to be taught in schools, for the sole reason that it is a foreign script, not taking into its vast cultural heritage,” he said.
He added: “The Goa government and the Devanagiri lobby has forgotten the role played by Roman script within our Goan communities, in enhancing the rich cultural heritage and protecting Konkani language over the centuries.”
“Our government headed by Pramod Sawant and the Devanagiri lobby must heed the wisdom behind the Supreme Court judgement and undergo a paradigm shift of thinking, and pave the way forward for Roman script to be given equal status or allow it to be taught in schools of Goa. Such a move will not only strengthen the Konkani language, but strengthen the bonds of unity among Goan society and communities,” he added.
