MARGAO
Bracing to kick-start the “Meet Your MLA Kodel Zay vo Romi Zay” from Curtorim constituency on 23 September, the Global Konknni Forum (GKF) on Friday said the meeting with the MLAs is not an attempt to intimidate or gherao them but is a golden opportunity for the MLAs to understand the pulse and aspirations of the people, and to understand the underlying reasons why the people are demanding equal status for the Roman script.
The Forum hoped that the MLAs will come together in solidarity to mediate with the government on this long-pending issue.
Addressing the media, Forum President Kennedy Afonso said the “Meet Your MLA ‘Kodel Zay vo Romi Lipi Zay” programme, from 23 September 2024, is part of the ongoing movement to demand equal status for the Roman script in the Official Language Act (OLA). He said the OLA can only be amended by the MLAs passing a Bill/Resolution in the House, adding, “It is the duty of the elected representatives to listen to the demands of the people and pass the required legislation in the Assembly.”
“The GKF aims to meet all the MLAs of Goa with a delegation of people from their respective constituencies, to have a peaceful, positive, and constructive interaction with their respective MLAs on resolving the Roman script issue. People from the constituency will hand over a draft of the two Private Members’ Bills to their MLAs, to be proposed and passed by them, with the help of the ruling government, in the forthcoming Winter Assembly session,” he said.
Kennedy said Curtorim MLA Alexio Reginaldo has willingly given the Forum an appointment on 23 September at his Curtorim office at 10.30 am, to discuss the issue with his people. “We invite other MLAs also to come forward to meet the people, and unitedly take steps to resolve the injustice,” he added.
He said the Forum will hand over two draft Bills to the MLAs, one to amend the Official Language Act, and the second to propose the introduction of the Roman script in Konkani in schools in a phased manner, starting from Std I to Std 10 from the next academic year.
