News: Ancy D’Souza Paladka
Panjim, Nov 26: Jakotik Konknni Sanghotton (JKS), a global Konkani organization held its first regional conference recently here at the Conference Hall of Tiatr Academy Goa 100 delegates representing various organizations of the state including key representatives from Maharashtra, Karnataka and Kerala were also present.
The conference held on 20th November 2011 to discuss the various issues pertaining to
the status and future of the Konkani Language.
Editor of 'Dor Mohinechi Roti' Fr Vasco Rego in his inaugural address said that, it is the right of Children to learn English but ascertained that the schools should also make Konkani a compulsory subject.
Konkani was never called by its name but was only known as 'Amchi Bhas' He said.
Fr Rego also expressed concerns that the traditional celebrations like weddings and even masses in the Church are increasingly becoming English oriented.
Vice president of Goa Konkani Akademy Vincy Quadros presented a paper on "Status and Future of Konkani language in Goa. Director of Thomas Stephens Konknni Kendr Fr. Pratap Naik moderated the session
Eric Ozario Gurkar of Mandd Sobhann, Mangalore presented a paper on "Scripts of Konkani Language - Issues and Solutions". President of Dalgado Konkani Akademy Premanand Lotlikar moderated the session.
President of Tiatr Academy Goa Tomazinho Cardozo presented the third paper in the afternoon session on ‘Status and future of Konkani Language at the International Level’. Former station master of All India Radio Yusuf Sheik moderated the session.
Interactive and heated discussions were held, Many felt that the protagonist of Devnagiri lobby through their manipulations and corrupt practices, have done major injustice to the other scripts of Konkani, particularly Roman and Kannada script who have contributed a major share to the Konkani literature from the very beginning.
Eric Ozario said that the script confusion is a conspiracy by the upper castes to divert attention from the very important Konkani issues and keep people occupied with a less important one.
He also argued that the problem of Konkani is not that it does not have a script of its own, nor that it uses multi scripts for its literary expression, but that one script 'Devnagari' has systematically and consistently been attempted to be foisted and imposed on the practitioners of all other scripts.
In the process, all the other scripts have been cheated and starved of all patronage (state and official) and only Devnagiri has been unduly and unjustly pampered. To achieve this, those responsible have captured all power-centres and have continuously indulged in practices such as - Manipulations at every level, False propaganda attributing sanctity to that script, Projecting it as superior to all the other scripts and the only perfectly suited for Konkani, and Repeatedly arguing for the destruction of all other scripts saying that they are only obstacle for Konkani unity and that only by everyone accepting and adopting
'Devnagari', can Konkani unity be achieved.
Finally the JKS resolved to fight against all the injustice done to other scripts from within and without. It is ascertained that it is now ready to take this battle even to the court of law and redress the genuine grievances of Konkani people.
Dalgado Konkani Akademy secretary Jose Salvadore Fernandes Compered.
The following resolutions were unanimously passed:
1. Sahitya Akademi New Delhi must give Annual Literary Awards for
books in all scripts of Konkani and not in any one particular script.
2. Kala Academy must have a separate category for selecting books for
Literary Awards in Konkani in Roman script.
3. Government of Goa must give option to teach Konkani in Roman Script
in the educational institutions.
4. Government should amend the Official Language Act to give equal
status to Konkani in Roman Script.