By SAR NEWS

Panaji, Feb 15:  Protagonists of Roman script in Konkani are disillusioned at the appointment of a vitriolic critic of Roman script as the chairman for the preparation of the Congress party election manifesto in this West Indian coastal state.

The state is likely to hold general elections by May later this year.

Uday Bhembre, a staunch Konkani activist in Devnagiri script and former legislator, who is heading the team to prepare the Congress manifesto  has over the months earned the ire of the Roman script votaries for his concept of  "one script, one language", Bhembre has argued that many scripts lead to communication gap between different scriptwriters and readers, which retards the standardization of a language and is a liability for the progress of a language.

However, the demand to accord equal status to Konkani in Roman script has been gaining momentum for over a year.

In 1987, Konkani in Devnagiri script was recognised as the state language paving the way for the formation of the 25th state of the Indian union, but this script alienated over 30 per cent of the Catholics, who still struggle with Devnagiri.

"For 18 years we were made guinea pigs in Devnagiri script laboratories due to the sly and cunning designs of a section of Hindus who discreetly became the sole beneficiaries vis a vis employment”, said Godfrey  Gonsalves, an activist espousing the cause of Roman script.

He said, Hindus are familiar with Devnagiri unlike Christians who are familiar with Roman script, with even liturgical texts in Roman script. Ironically, out of 137 primary schools, 131 schools teaching Konkani in Devnagiri script are owned by Catholic managements.

The use of Konkani in Devnagiri script is a must to avail aid from government.

Following the Official language Act, 1986, awards for Konkani literature were denied to Roman script writers and institutions of Roman script. Even books in Roman script were not given grants because someone decided that since Devnagiri was official, Roman script had no place for awards, pointed out Tomazinho Cardozo, former Speaker who is now amongst others who is leading the Roman script brigade.

In the process, he said, that Devnagiri lobby grabbed state projects and publications.  Many Roman script writers were ignored and many others passed away without recognition. "It is tragic that Catholics sacrified for the sake of Konkani, but over the years only the elite class of Hindus were beneficiaries," he added

In 1986, the state witnessed the worst violent language agitation, with locals divided over granting of official language status to Konkani and Marathi, a language from the neighbouring state of Maharashtra used by Hindus in rituals.  

Eventually, as a "compromise formula",  the Congress party in the Official language Act made Konkani in Devnagiri script the official language of the state but also granted Marathi "official status" in a bid to placate the pro-Maharashtra Hindus.

"At that time we did not stress on Roman script because we did not want a divide amongst the Konkani movement. At that time, our priority was to get official recognition to Konkani because Marathi was a bigger enemy. In fact, we sacrificed for Konkani and accepted Devanagiri script, but today down the years we realize that Catholics have been taken for a ride," said a Roman script protagonist.

The agitation of 1986 also claimed five Catholic "Konkani martyrs" who were killed during the agitation.

Cardozo said that if a solution to the vexing issue of Roman script is to be worked out, Bhembre should be removed from the position he occupies  because he is responsible for creating an agitational attitude amongst the Roman script supporters.

Michael Gracias, publisher of a Konkani magazine `Jivit' in Roman script accused Bhembre of sidelining the Roman script issue and advocating the policy of "one language, one script and one culture".

Ulhas Buyao, a Hindu  supporter of the Roman script said Bhembre  was always against the Roman script and the Congress party ought to select a candidate from the low caste to interact with the people while drafting the manifesto.

Prince Jacob, convener of the Tiatr Academy (Konkani Theatre Academy)  said the Academy would not interact with the Congress manifesto committee headed by Bhembre. “We have no faith in Bhembre although he is aware that Goan Catholics have been using Roman script in the social, cultural and religious activities. Even Konkani tiatres are prominently drafted in Roman script, he said, adding that they would continue their fight to accord equal status to Roman script.

For the Congress, the language issue has wider ramification as the party relies heavily on the Catholic vote bank, even though the Congress has adopted a stance that it has resolved the language issue in 1987.

Evidently, the party is unwilling to reopen the issue because political watchers feel it would be ill-conceived to rake up the issue on the eve of the polls.

On the other hand, the Roman script protagonists have vowed to vote against the Congress should it fail to resolve the issue of granting equal status to Roman script.

Some Congress leaders like parliamentarian Churchill Alemao have joined in support of the Roman script protagonists.