Team Herald
MARGAO: The Global Romi Lipi Abhiyan (GRLA), a newly formed group advocating for the inclusion of the Roman Konkani script in the Official Language Act, was formally registered under the Societies Act, 1860, on Opinion Poll Day. Announcing its launch, the group highlighted its mission to unite Konkani speakers and associations worldwide to combat the marginalisation of non-Devanagri scripts.
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“On this historic day, when Goans commemorate the fight to retain their identity, we call on all Goans to rise in solidarity with the Roman script movement,” said Kennedy Afonso, the group’s president, while addressing media persons in Margao on Friday.
It may be recalled that Afonso was the former President of the Goa Konknni Forum (GKF) that had taken up the same cause but he had recently resigned from his post, which was accepted by GKF. With GKF splitting and the new group, which includes members from GKF, being formed, the Romi activists asserted that the spirit and motive remains the same.
Speaking about the new group’s intention, GRLA said the need for their movement arose from systemic discrimination against non-Devanagri scripts. While Devanagri script users account for only 12% of Konkani speakers, they dominate the Sahitya Akademi Advisory Board and have exclusive recognition under the Official Language Act of 1987. The remaining 83% of Konkani speakers—using Roman, Kannada, Malayalam, and Perso-Arabic scripts—are excluded. “The rich diversity of Konkani cannot survive without uniting all its scripts. This is why the Global Romi Lipi Abhiyan was formed—to embrace all Konkani lovers and fight for the Roman script’s rightful place,” Afonso added.
The group’s leadership team comprises Vice President Joaquim Faleiro, Secretary Michael Jude Gracias, Treasurer Ansh Bandekar, and 12 other executive members. GRLA announced plans to push for an amendment to the Official Language Act during the Goa Assembly session on February 6, 2025, to permit Roman script as an option for teaching Konkani in schools. The group extended an open invitation to all political parties and their members to join the cause, emphasizing that GRLA is apolitical.
The group also addressed the challenges they faced in the past, including resistance and division within their previous organization. Despite these setbacks, GRLA reiterated its determination to bring all Konkani lovers together under one inclusive platform. “We urge every Goan to stand with us in correcting the injustice done to the Roman script in 1987. Together, we can secure its rightful place in the Official Language Act,” Afonso said.
GRLA also highlighted its efforts to foster unity among Konkani speakers, citing a meeting with three prominent Mangaluru-based Konkani associations—Maand Sobhann, Poetica, and Karnataka Lekhak Sangh. According to the group, this collaboration was aimed at organizing the first-ever Maha Sabha in Goa, a historic event that would bring together all five Konkani scripts—Roman, Devnagri, Kannada, Malayalam, and Perso-Arabic—on one platform to discuss the future of the language.
