The Global Romi Lipi Abhiyan (GRLA) has called on all Goan legislators—across party lines—to pass two key resolutions during the upcoming monsoon Assembly session starting July 21. The first demands the introduction of Romi Konkani in Goa’s school curriculum, and the second urges the long-overdue formation of the Goa State Minorities Commission.
At a press briefing in Margao on Wednesday, GRLA addressed its appeal to MLAs from the BJP, Congress, Goa Forward Party, Aam Aadmi Party, and Revolutionary Goans Party, stating that both resolutions are critical to upholding constitutional rights and promoting inclusivity.
GRLA president Kennedy Afonso said that introducing Romi Konkani in schools is a constitutional demand that aims to protect the Roman script from extinction.
“The Roman script has been in use in Goa for over 450 years and helped Konkani survive colonial rule,” he said. “It remains the primary script for the community, especially for religious, cultural, and everyday use.” He pushed for the government to develop textbooks, train teachers, and allocate resources to teach Romi script in schools.
He cited Articles 29(1) and 30 of the Constitution, which guarantee linguistic minorities the right to preserve their language, script, and culture, and to manage educational institutions.
Afonso also pointed to the New Education Policy 2020, which promotes multilingualism, student choice, and flexibility—principles that support the inclusion of Romi Konkani in the classroom.
GRLA leader Michael Gracias echoed the sentiment, calling the continued exclusion of Romi Konkani from classrooms “a disservice to Goa’s heritage.”
The second resolution GRLA wants passed is the establishment of the Goa State Minorities Commission—a promise made but never fulfilled. Afonso noted that while the National Minorities Commission was set up in 1992, Goa has yet to constitute its state-level counterpart.