The announcement by Benaulim MLA Caitu Silva in the local dailies, that he is moving a Bill seeking equal status for Romi Konkani is viewed skeptically by many. This is because they feel it is just a carrot he is dangling to garner votes and getting himself re-elected. There seems to be some logic in this thinking of the skeptics as the next Goa Assembly elections are just a year away from now. If he was sincere about moving such a Bill then where was he for the last four years, argue the skeptics.
We here at the ‘Romi Lipi Action Front’ do not discount the logic of the skeptics but we also do believe that even for the reason of garnering votes, if an MLA is willing to move such a Bill, which is for the general good of the people, then he should be encouraged.
Let us for a while consider this Bill as having been tabled and has come up for discussion in the Assembly in the coming Winter session. What could happen? Will it get support from the entire ruling coalition? Or, will it be thrown out for lack of support as in the past? The political atmosphere does not seem to be favourable for its passing. Let us for a while presume that for some underlying reason the ruling coalition does support the Bill.
In such a scenario what will be the stand taken by the Congress Party MLAs? Pratapsingh Rane, who was the CM then, was the main architect of that Bill and he openly fought to keep Romi Konkani out of the Bill. Will he make a U-turn now? We do not think so. In fact he will do everything it takes to stop the passage of this Bill. In case he is restrained from opposing it openly by his Party, he will at least try to delay its passage by his subtle suggestion of referring the Bill to a “Select Committee”. Just watch out.
