MARGAO: PWD Minister Sudin Dhavalikar, on Monday, stated that the issue of Goa’s official language has been settled long back, and now the people need to work unitedly for the progress of Konkani.
His statement put an end to speculation that he was supporting the Marathi Rajbhasha Samiti’s demand to accord official language status to Marathi.
Dhavalikar was speaking to a delegation of Konkani Bhasha Mandal (KBM), which submitted a memorandum to the minister, urging him to oppose Marathi as an official language of Goa.
The KBM had recently handed over the memorandum to Power Minister Milind Naik, who also did not seem to be in a mood to touch the Official Language Act.
So far, KBM has met Sports Minister Ramesh Tawadkar, Curchorem MLA Nilesh Cabral, Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai, Navelim MLA Avertano Furtado, Vasco MLA Carlos Almeida, Porvorim MLA Rohan Khaunte, and Cuncolim MLA Rajan Naik, all of whom have affirmed that there is no need to change the Act in any way.
KBM will soon meet the remaining MLAs to hand over the memorandum apprising them about the need to oppose Marathi and promote Konkani, which gives the State its distinct identity.
The memorandum also claims that the Marathi Rajbhasha Samiti’s (MRS) demand for official status for Marathi is just a ploy to divide Goans on linguistic and religious lines. It further states that Goans are facing several other issues, and the need of the hour is for them to unite and sort out these issues first.
