MARGAO
Lamenting that Konkani in Roman script has not received the importance it deserves in the Official Language Act, Konkani Romi script lovers on Saturday resolved to take the battle forward to ensure the Konkani in Roman script receives the status it deserves for the betterment and enrichment of the Konkani language.
A Konkani Romi script protagonist asserted that Konkani is not the official language, but the government has given only official status to Devanagari script.
For the first time in recent times, Konkani Roman script lovers, including tiatrists, writers, language activists et al came under one banner on how to take the movement forward. The meeting called by Konkani Romi script lover Dominic Fernandes was attended by around 40 Konkani Roman script lovers from across the State, who all underscored the need to ensure that Roman script receives the support and status it deserves.
A host of suggestions were made at the meeting, including a suggestion to form a united front under a new banner to take the movement forward. While suggestions were made to revive and activate an existing organization working for the cause of Roman script, another suggestion was made to form a new front so that the movement evokes support from all sections of the society. Konkani writer Michael Gracias suggested Konknni Zuzari for the new organization to take the movement forward.
After the meeting, Dominic Fernandes expressed satisfaction that the meeting convened of the Romi Lipi lovers to discuss the status of Konkani in the Roman script evoked tremendous response. “The objective behind convening the meeting was to unite all Roman Konkani script lovers under a banner and to form an organization to work for the enrichment of the language. We have received good support from Konkani lovers as around 40 people made it to the meeting”, he said.
He added: “My attempt to bring the Konkani Roman script lovers and writers together has started on a successful note. This is just the beginning of the unity of Konkani Roman script lovers. We have vowed to forge unity. The second meeting will be held soon to take the agenda forward."
He said a resolution has been taken to forge and strengthen the unity of Konkani Roman script forces, exuding confidence that more people will join the movement in the coming days.
Konkani writer Jose Salvador Fernandes told the media that the issue of Roman Konkani is still fresh in the minds of the people of Goa. Prof S M Borges told the media that while the government had passed the Official Language Act, it has not been implemented but is confined only to papers.
“There is no notification stating about the script. We have not made Konkani the official language, but Devanagiri as the official script. Only Devnagiri Konkani receives the advertisements, while such benefits are not provided to Konkani in Roman script. That’s why I say there’s only official script,” he said.
Borges added: “If there was Romi script, both Konkani in Roman script and Devanagari would have got the importance. The administration is not done in any language. There should be a noise on this issue. We have to do something.”
Social activist Kennedy Afonso said welcomed the suggestions put forth at the meeting intended to forge unity amongst the Konkani Romi script lovers. “We have a main issue, the issue that Konkani in Roman script has not got the place it deserves in the Official Language Act. We have all decided to hold another meeting, where a plan of action will be chalked out to achieve the objective,” Kennedy added.
