MARGAO
Reiterating its demand for recognition to Roman Lipi in the Official Language Act as stipulated in Article 29 of the Constitution, the Global Konknni Forum has demanded that all MLAs from the linguistic minority community and the Opposition pass resolution in the House on July 26 demanding equal status for Konkani in Roman script.
The Forum has warned that the movement in support of Konkani in Roman script would work against the MLAs, who do not support the resolution in the House.
They have further demanded that the MLAs from the linguistic minority community individually petition to the Commissioner, Linguistic Minority Commission, New Delhi highlighting the discrimination meted out to Konkani in Roman script for the last 36 years and to bestow official status on Romi Lipi.
Addressing the media, Forum President Kennedy Afonso recalled that Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has said there is no proposal to give equal status to Roman script to a question put forward by MLAs Cruz Silva and Venzy Viegas. “The Global Konknni Forum (GKF) would like to state that, it is the duty of the 14 elected MLAs representing the linguistic minorities of Goa, to put forward such a proposal. Over the last 36 years the MLAs from the minority community, have only paid lip service, but have failed to address the injustice done to Roman script. It is high time they realise their duties to fulfill the aspirations of the people who elected them to power,” Kennedy said.
Pointing out that every village in Goa is rising in unity to demand equal status for Roman script, by passing resolution in the gram sabhas, requesting the Linguistic Minorities Commission Delhi to stop this discrimination to Roman script, he said the GKF demands that the Opposition and all the 14 MLAs from the minority community, should meet and request CM Pramod Sawant, to pass a government sponsored Bill, or pass the resolution put forward in the House by MLA Cruz Silva, to give equal status to Roman script, along with Devanagiri, by amending the Official Language Act (OLA).
“Roman script is used by the linguistic minorities of Goa, in all walks of life. The omission of Roman script in the Official Language Act is considered as the greatest betrayal of the linguistic community that actually fought to make Konkani the Official Language of Goa. GKF demands that the government should stop chocking Roman script for the survival of Devanagiri,” Kennedy said.
He added: “GKF and the people of Goa are not seeking lollipops in the form of grants. The people of Goa, specially the linguistic minorities demand that as per the Constitution, our fundamental right to the choice of language and script should be given to us. The linguistic minorities of Goa want their children to learn Konkani to be taught in Roman script from Standard 1 to 12. They want their children to be eligible for government jobs, and all other facilities enjoyed by Devanagiri protagonists. They too want official recognition and awards to be given to Roman script authors and writers, which have been denied for last 36 years.”
Referring to the statement made by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant that the government is giving grants of Rs 21.61 lakh, for the development of Konkani in Roman script and that too to a private institution, Kennedy said, “this is only 14 per cent of what Devanagiri is getting in grants, and the Romi script must get same the funding as Devnagiri.
Social activist Anthony D’Silva told the media that the protagonists of Roman script are not asking the government to do a favour, but demanding to protect our language and script under Section 29 (1) of the Constitution.
