MARGAO
Global Konknni Forum has said that Chief Minister Pramod Sawant’s recent statement mandating the compulsory clearance of a Konkani language paper for all candidates applying for government jobs in Goa is yet another calculated move by the BJP-led state government to systematically suppress the Roman script”a script that has long preserved the Konknni language, enriched Goan culture, and upheld Goan identity.
Forum Secretary Salvador Fernandes said that while the government claims that the decision aims to prioritize Goan youth in public sector employment, it represents a grave injustice to the candidates who do not know Devanagari, but are well versed with the Roman script. “This move not only marginalizes them but also carries undertones of communal bias. The Roman script continues to be deliberately excluded from the unjust Official Language Act (OLA), and the government has no moral right to deny livelihood opportunities to those who follow Konknni in the Roman script’, he said.
He added: “If the Chief Minister is genuinely committed to empowering Goan youth, his government must first introduce Romi Konkani as an optional medium of instruction in Goan schools during the upcoming Legislative Assembly session. Only then can the state justifiably conduct a compulsory Konkani exam for government job applicants”.
Salvador further pointed out that if the government seeks to justify its decision based on the Official Language Act”widely regarded as one of the greatest betrayals of the 21st century”it must urgently amend the Act to include the clause: “Konknni means Konknni written in Devanagari and Roman script.” “This amendment would rectify the longstanding injustice faced by followers of Roman-script Konknni and pave the way for fair implementation of the language requirement in government recruitment”, he said.
He added: “During the last Goa Assembly session, CM Sawant assured the House that his government would pursue a UNESCO World Heritage tag for Tiatr”a vibrant art form rooted in Konknni Roman script. If the Chief Minister truly supports this initiative, his government should have no hesitation in extending justice to Roman-script Konknni, whether by amending the OLA or introducing Romi Konkani in schools”.
Until the ongoing conflict regarding the Konkani script is resolved, the Global Konknni Forum has appealed to the Chief Minister to instruct the Staff Selection Commission not to enforce the current procedure of selecting candidates based solely on the Devanagari script.
The Forum has further requested that examination papers also be prepared for candidates who choose to answer in the Roman script of Konkani.
