Team Herald
MARGAO: The Global Konknni Forum (GKF) announced on Monday that they would pursue legal action if the Goa Legislative Assembly fails to pass a resolution granting equal status to the Roman script within the Official Language Act.
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Addressing a press conference in Margao, newly elected President, Prof Antonio Alvares, stated that the Forum had no objections to the members who left the association and formed a new group. “Our primary objective is to seek justice for the Roman script, and we will continue to do so until our goal is achieved,” he emphasized.
Alvares mentioned that the Forum had been working on this cause for over two years and there was still much work to be done.
He further revealed that the Forum was prepared to take legal action if the Legislative Assembly members did not pass a resolution addressing the demand for equal recognition of the Roman script. Responding to a reporter’s question, Alvares pointed out that the Constitution of India does not allow discrimination based
on script.
“The government cannot ignore the reality that the Roman script is widely used in Goa,”
he asserted.
The Forum also responded to questions about the recent split among its members, stating that a few members had left to form their own group. However, the Forum expressed no concerns over this split.
Jose Salvador Fernandes, Secretary of the Global Konknni Forum, elaborated on the background of the Forum’s formation. He explained that the groundwork for the Forum began two years ago, with Domnic Fernandes leading efforts to rally those passionate about promoting Konknni in the Roman script and rectifying the injustice done to the script in the Official Language Act. After extensive groundwork, the Forum was officially formed in May 2024.
“Our members worked diligently over the past six months to establish the Forum and reach this point,” Fernandes said.
Earlier, Global Konknni Forum’s founder members elected Antonio Alvares as a new President, and Francis Xavier Fernandes as a Vice President unanimously.
The meeting was convened to elect a committee for the period of 2025-2027.
GRLA bats for introduction of Roman script in schools under NEP framework
Team Herald
MARGAO: Global Romi Lipi Abhiyan (GRLA) appeals to all Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) across political parties to prioritize discussions on the introduction of Roman Script Konkani in schools under the NEP
framework.
A thorough study of the provisions laid out in the NEP should guide these discussions in the upcoming Assembly session, stated Kennedy Afonso, President, GRLA.
GRLA highlights that the New Education Policy (NEP) 2020 presents a crucial opportunity for the introduction of Roman Script Konkani into schools. The NEP places significant emphasis on preserving and promoting India’s linguistic diversity, and advocates for the inclusion of mother tongues, local languages, and dialects within the school curriculum. In this context, the NEP provides a comprehensive framework for safeguarding Konkani, which is currently listed as an endangered language by UNESCO.
Afonso appealed to the Government of Goa to implement the provisions of the NEP by introducing Roman Script Konkani into schools, ensuring that this policy is not relegated to mere documentation. Furthermore, Article 29(1) of the Indian Constitution safeguards the rights of minorities to preserve their language, script, and culture, reinforcing the urgency of this demand.
