from Dr Pratap Naik SJ,TSKK, Alto Porvorim
Panaji, Jul 6: All Goa Citizens’ Committee for Social Justice and Action collected 56,310 signatures from Goans, tiatrists, Goans outside Goa and NRIs to support Konknni in Roman script. They have submitted these signatures to the President of India.
The petition, quoting Article 347 of the Constitution of India, says:
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In our letter No. AGCCSJA/PREZ/RS-KONKNNI/2005/03 dt. 5th Nov. 2005, we had promised that we would submit to Your Excellency in March 2006 the Certified Area-wise Statements of signatures obtained from supporters for official recognition of Konknni written in Roman Script, under the Provisions of Article 347, through Presidential Action and Notification.
2. We owe Your Excellency an explanation for the delay up to now in fulfilling what we had proposed to do.
3. As we were preparing the final report for submission to Your Excellency, we were told that the translation of the entire Bible (Old and New Testaments), 60,000 (sixty thousand) copies (first edition) in Roman Script Konknni would be ready for Blessing and release in the first week of June 2006, by the Archbishop of Goa Filipe Neri Ferrão.
4. Therefore our Executive Committee decided that our final report to Your Excellency be prepared and be submitted to Your Excellency along with a copy of the Holy Bible in Roman Script Konknni.
5. Accordingly, the Holy Bible in Roman Script Konknni was blessed and released at a fitting ceremony in the See Cathedral, Old Goa, on 4th June 2006.
6. We are presenting to Your Excellency the first copy of the Konknni Holy Bible in Roman Script, offered at our request by the Secretary of the Goa Archdiocese’s “Diocesan Commission for Biblical Apostolate” (DCBA ).
7. We are also presenting to Your Excellency a copy of RENOVAÇÃO (RENEWAL) No.12 of June 16-30, 2006, showing on the Front Cover the Blessing Ceremony officiated by four Bishops.
8. The very fact that Goa Archdiocese published 60,000 copies as the First Edition of the Konknni Bible in Roman Script, and plans a second and a third edition of the same to take the total to one lakh copies, is adequate to declare to the whole world that Konknni written in Roman Script is in use by “… a substantial proportion of the population of a State [Goa, in this case, who] desire the use of language spoken by them to be recognised... " This evidence of the use of Roman Script Konknni would provide convincing proof to Your Excellency to take a decision to make Presidential Notification declaring Official Recognition for Konknni written in Roman Script on par with Konknni written in Devanagari script (which is already recognised in the Official Language Act of Goa), to fully satisfy the long-awaited desire and aspirations of the people of Goa.
9. In addition to a copy of the Holy Bible in Roman Script Konknni and a copy of RENOVAÇÃO, as mentioned above, we submit the following to add to the evidence to satisfy the requirements of Article 347 of the Constitution of India:
I. A Map of Goa showing
(a) 159 (one hundred and fifty-nine) Parish Churches, with the SYMBOL of a Cross in Green, where Roman Script Konknni is regularly used for all ceremonies from Baptism to Funeral Rites;
(b) 462 (four hundred and sixty-two) Chapels, with RED DOTS as symbol, where Roman Script Konknni is in use for all ceremonies;
(c) 171 (one hundred and seventy-one) Catholic Social Institutions, with a SQUARE in GOLD as symbol, where Roman Script Konknni is in use for day-to-day activities and for all ceremonies;
(d) 278 (two hundred and seventy-eight) Schools and Colleges, with a TRIANGLE in BROWN as symbol, under the Diocesan territory of the State of Goa, where Roman Script Konknni is in widespread use.
The GOA MAP presented herewith to Your Excellency discloses the enormous power and reach of Churches and Institutions under the Archdiocese of Goa in all matters from life to death.
II. Our Statements of aggregate 56310 (fifty-six thousand three hundred and ten) signatures from supporters of Roman Script Konknni, certified by Chartered Accountant and Auditor, Mr. R.E. RAMAT of Panaji, Goa, divided into
a) North Goa District of Goa (Lok Sabha Constituency)
b) South Goa District of Goa (Lok Sabha Constituency)
c) TIATRISTS (artistes of traditional dramatic cultural presentation) of Goa using exclusively Roman Script Konknni.
d) Goans in Bombay, Pune and Bangalore.
e) NRI Goans.
III. A tiny Video-Film of 15 to 18 minutes viewing-time showing Catholic Ceremonies conducted in which all relevant texts are printed in Roman Script Konknni, starting with the Feast of St. Francis Xavier at Bom Jesus Basilica, Old Goa, and ending with the blessing of Roman Script Bible Ceremony at See Cathedral, Old Goa, attended by large sections of believers.
We appeal to Your Excellency to kindly spare the required.time to view the film to learn of the widespread use of Roman Script Konknni.
10. IN CONCLUSION, we appeal to Your Excellency to initiate appropriate actions to grant Official Recognition for Roman Script Konknni through a Presidential Notification. If a Presidential Notification comes in the first fortnight of July 2006, the Goa Assembly Session starting during that period will follow suit and would formally amend the GOA, DAMAN AND DIU OFFICIAL LANGUAGE ACT, 1987 (Act No. 5 of 1987), to give the blessing as a fitting finale to Goa Citizens' Campaign seeking recognition for Konknni written in Roman Script, fulfilling the aspirations of Goans in Goa and Goans all over the world.
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The moderator, Dr Pratap Naik SJ, has also said that the contents of a letter sent by Uday Bhembre, chairman of Vichar Vibhag of Indian Congress Party in Goa to its Cabinet Ministers, are against Konknni written in Roman script.
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June 26, 2006
URGENT AND IMPORTANT COMMUNICATION
We are given to understand that a Private Member's Bill is likely to be introduced in the forthcoming session of the legislative Assembly. It is also learnt that the object of the Bill is to introduce Roman script in addition to Devanagari script for Konkani the Official Language Act.
The members of the Vichar Vibhag deliberated on this subject and they felt that their view on this subject be communicated to you so as to enable you to avoid complications in the use of Konkani in the official language.
The considered view of Vichar Vibhag is as follows:
Nobody has ever said or even suggested that the use of Roman script for Konkani should be banned or stopped. The use of Roman script continues and it should continue without any impediment as long as people desire to use that script or they feel the need to use
it.
The two cultural institutions of the Government , Kala Academy and Goa Konkani Academy, have already revised their policies and programmes so that there are no obstacles in the use of Roman script or any impediments for writers and artistes who use Roman script.
Writers in Roman script should be encouraged and they should get facilities on par with the others. This is being done and for that no change in the Official Language Act is required . The Official Language Act is applicable only to official work of the Government. It has no bearing upon what people do in the social and cultural spheres of life .
In these circumstances it will not be wise to amend the Official Language Act. The reasons are:
1. Almost every state in our country has its Official Language Act. But there is no Official Language Act in which two or more scripts are prescribed for any language.
2. Unfortunately in Goa scripts are related to religious communities. Therefore scripts isolate one community form the other in respect of literature, journalism etc. This is not conducive to communal harmony and unity.
3. Roman script for Konkani is used by a section of the Catholic community which is a minority in the State. The script should not isolate it from others as such insolation is not in the interest of any minority community especially when fundamentalists in the majority community are active.
4. Education in Konkani in Goa began in 1963. In 1990 the Diocesan Society of Education took a wise decision to introduce Konkani as a medium of instruction in their schools . All education in Konkani from primary schools to the University is in
Devanagari script. Boys and girls from the Catholic community who have had this education are today working as teachers journalists etc. Those who are studying High schools today will be 40-45 years of age in 30 years time. Writers in Konkani, teachers, journalists artistes will emerge from them . They will be fully equipped with Devanagari and will not need an additional script.
5. Multiplicity of scripts has created problems for the development of Konkani and for its standardization. Therefore, in 1939 All India Konkani Parishad , apex instiution of Konkani speaking people from Goa, Maharashtra, Karnatak and Kerala appealed to the Konkani speaking community to gradually adopt one script Devanagari - to bring about bettercommunication and propagation of literature. That process is on. Therefore perpetuating more scripts for future will be harmful for Konkani.
6. The Official Language Act is enacted with the future requirements in mind. No amendment of this Act is required to give facilities for Roman script in the fields of literature art and culture today. We should not impair our future by changing the law.
7 As you are aware, the Official Language Act has not been touched at all for Amendment so far. Protagonists of Marathi are now and then demanding official status for Marathi. If the Act is amended now for Roman script , it will be easy for others now or in the future to amend it for inclusion of Marathi. For this reason it is best to leave it untouched.
8 The Vichar Vibhag requests you to ponder over these points seriously and to avoid any amendment of the Official Language Act so as to avoid complication for Konkani as official language.
With warm regards.
Yours sincerely
sd/- Uday Bhembre
Chairman.
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