MARGAO
Along with this demand, the speakers also declared their support for Calangute MLA Michael Lobo's endeavour for installation of Late Jack de Sequeira's statue at the Assembly complex in Porvorim, alongside that of Goa's first Chief Minister Late Dayanand (Bhausaheb) Bandodkar.
Addressing the gathering at a function organised by the Dalgado Konknni Academy (DKA) along with Fr Freddy J Da Costa Memorial Trust im memory of the Late Fr Freddy, Calangute MLA and Deputy Speaker Michael Lobo paid glowing tributes to Jack de Sequeira for his stellar contribution towards safeguarding the separate identity of Goa in the historic Opinion Poll verdict, while claiming that he will fight to realise this demand. "I will fight for this and see to it that Jack de Sequeira is respected by erecting his statue in the Assembly complex," he remarked.
Lobo also claimed that pending the grant of Special Status to Goa, a Bill needs to be passed in the Assembly, barring the sale of orchard and agricultural land to non-Goans.
"This is prevalent in some other States," he added, while mentioning the "limitations" to frame such a law, even as he claimed that discussions to this effect were held in the earlier term of the BJP government but to no avail.
In his address, the chief guest of the function, Adv Radharao Gracias, made a strong case for upholding his demand for conferring official status for Romi Konknni. He also gave credit to Tiatrists for the success in the Opinion Poll.
Likewise, Adv Gracias said while most Catholics sacrificed a lot for granting Konkani status to Konkani, Romi Konknni was effectivelty sidelined. He said Tiatr is written in Romi Konknni as well as the religious affaris of Catholics are also conducted in Romi Konknni. He demanded the same recognition to Romi Konknni as granted to Marathi in the Official Language Act.
