Team Herald
MARGAO: In response to the Devanagari group’s willingness to discuss the script issue, the Global Konknni Forum (GKF) challenged the All India Konkani Parishad (AIKP) on Friday to openly affirm their stance on granting equal status to the Roman script and its introduction in educational institutions.
Kennedy Afonso, President of the GKF, emphasised the need for the Devanagari groups to first demonstrate their credibility, expressing skepticism about their trustworthiness. “In the past, the GKF has been open to dialogue, but we faced objections. If the Devanagari group is truly willing to engage, the President of the AIKP, Fr. Mousinho Ataide, should publicly state that they do not oppose granting equal status to the Roman script in the Official Language Act,” Afonso urged.
He further insisted that the group should clarify their position on including the Roman script at the school level. “The previous actions of the Devanagari leaders contradict their current willingness to engage. Recently, Fr. Ataide publicly declared their opposition to equal status for the Roman script. Furthermore, Anant Agni, working president of the Parishad, and Ratmala Divkar, President of KBM, have voiced similar objections to the GKF’s demands,” Afonso noted.
Afonso pointed out that Prashant Naik, during a recent TV debate, also expressed objections to the GKF’s demands and showed no intention of engaging in discussions.
The GKF warned that if the Devanagari group fails to accept the challenge, it would indicate that their claims of being open to dialogue are merely an attempt to mislead the people of Goa and the Konkani community.
In addition, the GKF
announced plans for a silent protest and encouraged
supporters of the Roman script to participate in large numbers.