Sarpanch Nitesh Gaude with other members and villagers at the Guleli Village Panchayat Gram Sabha.
VALPOI
The Gram Sabha of Guleli Village Panchayat in Sattari on Sunday passed a resolution by majority, demanding official state language status for Marathi in Goa.
The resolution was moved by Premanand Naik, who highlighted Marathi’s deep-rooted connection with Goa’s cultural, religious and traditional heritage. Sarpanch Nitesh Gaude and panchayat members also supported the demand.
Addressing the Gram Sabha, chaired by Gaude, Naik said Marathi played a vital role in preserving Sattari’s cultural identity. He pointed out that bhajans, kirtans, religious discourses and temple rituals across the taluka were largely conducted in Marathi.
He cautioned that sidelining Marathi could weaken Goa’s cultural traditions and lead to greater dominance of English. Emphasising the close connection between Marathi and Konkani and the State’s identity, he called for concrete government measures to protect and promote the language.
Supporting the resolution, Gaude said Marathi was inseparable from Sattari’s religious, social and traditional life and urged the government to take the demand seriously.
The Gram Sabha appealed to the government to consider the resolution and initiate steps towards granting Marathi official recognition. Development works, civic amenities and other local issues were also discussed.
