Equal rights for all scripts of Konkani: Symposium held
Mangaluru: In the Symposium jointly organized by Global Konknni Forum (GKF) and Mandd Sobhann at Kalaangann, Mangalore, delegates of both associations met today, on the 29th of September 2024, to discuss and deliberate on the arbitrary decision of the Sahitya Akademi Konknni Advisory Board to declare Devanagari as the lone official script of Konknni language, a discrimination towards the 4 other scripts of Konknni, and to also demand equal status for Roman Script, along with Devanagari in the Official Language Act of Goa.
In this symposium, the following resolutions were passed.
1. Mandd Sobhann and Global Konknni Forum Unanimously passed the decision to oppose the Sahitya Akademi stand of recognizing and promoting only one script of Konknni. We ask for equal rights for Romi and Kannada Scripts.
2. In perseverance of this we will take all actions, including legal steps to impress the government to include other scripts of Konkani for Sahitya Awards.
Mandd Sobhann and Global Konknni Forum unanimously resolved to form a new Action Committee under the leadership of Kennedy Afonso. The new Committee includes Eric Ozario, Stany Alvares, Louis Pinto, Richard Moras, Stephen Quadros, Donald Pereira, Kennedy Afonso, Jose Salvador Fernandes, Aplonia Rebello, Luis Xavier Mascarenhas, Cruz Mario Pereira, Michael Jude Gracias, Antonio Alvares and Dominic Fernandes.
Eric Ozario and other Mandd Sobhann members expressed full confidence in the leadership of Kennedy Afonso, to take this movement to its logical conclusion and have extended full support and cooperation to the movement.
Kennedy Afonso, the President of Global Konknni Forum, gave a PowerPoint presentation and explained the need for the various Associations of Konknni, to come together to fight this discrimination against the 5 scripts of Konknni and for the inclusion of Romi Script in the official language Act of Goa, by filing a petition in the Supreme Court of India.
Karnataka Konkani Sahithya Academy President Stany Alvares spoke and said that the 6 Language Academies of the Karnataka Government have concluded that Literature in Kannada Script will be given priority and they would also pressurize the (Central) Sahitya Akademi to provide equal status to Konkani Literature in Kannada script in parallel with Nagari Script.
Eric Ozario said, “It’s an accepted fact that, although Konknni is written in 5 scripts, it has no script of its own and despite this fact, back in 1981, the Konknni Advisory Board of the Sahitya Akademi passed a unanimous resolution saying that Devnagari is the official script of Konknni. If one looks at the list of the Board members, it becomes very clear that it’s filled by hardcore supporters of Devnagari.” This needs to be challenged by the Supreme Court of India.
Eric said, this is nothing but a discriminatory attempt to destroy all other scripts and impose Devnagari on everyone, as is done in the Official Language Act of Goa. This is detrimental to the unity and development of Konknni, as Konknni literature is acceptable for Sahitya awards only in Devnagari script and this creates discrimination to literature produced in other scripts of Konknni.
The variety of Konknni is not in the script alone. There’s plenty of variety in its Dialects, Religions, Caste, Traditions, Customs, Festivals, and Folk forms. Amid such variety, to impose one script on everyone is utter folly. Unity in diversity is the mantra of the Nation’s Unity. Unity in diversity is the future of Konknni language.