How do you look at the new resolution for Marathi as Official Language?
The Official Language Act has been passed years back. This is just a resolution by a private member and has no bearing on the Act or changes nothing that Konkani is the official language. These are disgruntled elements in the form of Naresh Sawal and Vishnu Wagh as private members who want to draw some publicity in the last session of this Assembly. This resolution needs to shape as an Act or an amendment that needs everybody’s vote and I’m confident that Goan MLAs know the uniqueness of Konkani as our official language.
But what does it mean to Goans to give equal status to Marathi especially considering the Opinion Poll and the Konkani Agitation?
When Rajiv Gandhi demanded statehood for Goa on his visit way back then, he clearly said, sought your official language issue and ask for statehood since India is known to give statehood on the basis of linguistic uniqueness. Goans got statehood on the lines of being a Konkani state and Goa’s statehood was officially inaugurated by the Prime Minister in the year 1987. Where is the discussion then till now?
But Marathi also has equal status to be used for official purpose…
The Goa, Daman and Diu Official Language Act, 1987 makes Konkani in the Devanagari script the sole official language of Goa, but provides that Marathi may also be used for all or any of the official purposes. This happened because Pratapsing Rane and others wanted to keep a certain segment of the society happy. As MLAs way back then, I and Luizinho in the amendment’s to give Marathi official status, always fought against Marathi and even walked out of the Goa Assembly. Konkani is the sole official language and the identity of a Goan.
Clarify when you say identity of a Goan. What about the other languages spoken here from Portuguese to English to Kanada?
See Goans who speak Marathi are nothing but Maharashtrians settled in Goa maybe before 1961 or over the years. There are people who speak Punjabi, Kanada, and Portuguese, English or many other languages. Every state is unique. Even Daman and Diu has had the debate of having Guajarati as its official language. The people settled here don’t define the official language but the local language and its origin decides the official language. Konkani is our uniqueness. If Marathi has to be made our official language then what is unique between us and Maharashtra? We should have merged with Maharashtra, but we didn’t because of Konkani.
Do you feel these are elements taking advantage of the whole BBSM and MoI issue and the divide in Konkani in Devanagari and Romi script?
Language has no politics, no religion, no majority, no minority, no parties, and no individuals. Goa is about its Konkani speaking people. All academic differences need to be ignored and all politics needs to take a backseat and all these elements of MoI, scripts and Marathi’s equal status have no room in Goa’s history while sticking to our identity that Konkani alone is the official language of Goa. Rest is a farce for publicity.
