Team Herald
MARGAO: “Development of Konkani in Roman script cannot happen in isolation and it will have to work along with other scripts for the overall growth of the language that is presently under threat of dwindling followers,” said Anthony Menezes noted Konkani writer and novelist.
Speaking at a function held to distribute the Gulab awards, he said late Fr Freddy J da Costa and Felicio Cardoso believed in unity in diversity and strove to bring the different Konkani groups together for the progress and development of the language.
While admitting that in recent times there have been efforts to standardize Konkani in Roman script he however pointed out that maximum literature in Konkani comes in Kanada script and lamented that while Goans speak Konkani, Hindus prefer to read and write in Marathi while Catholics opt for English to read and write in.
While lamenting that Goans are migrating to the west he however pointed out that the population in Goa is not decreasing and feared Goans will be lost in their own land as migrants are coming to Goa purchasing properties and even changing their names to take Goan names.
“It is time Goans wake up and realize that they will be reduced to being Goans without land or house in their own land,” he said adding that one cannot depend upon the government to deal with issue and stressed the need to create a readership of Roman Konkani.
He questioned how much Konkani is being used for official purpose even though it is nearly 30 years since Konkani became the official language of Goa.
Chief Guest for the function Dilip Borkar who is the editor of Konkani magazine Bhimb said there was a crying need for Konkani writers to become fighters to preserve the language and urged those present to write letters to the panchayats in Roman script.
While recalling that Konkani was the weapon used to save Goa from merging with Maharashtra, he however, wondered what kind of Goa has emerged at present where defections take place at the drop of a hat.
He predicted a bleak future for those who left Goa for the Portuguese nationality and wondered what will happen when they are deported to their mother land as every nation is now becoming strict about its citizenship.
He also clarified that Michael D’Souza was presented the Gulab Personality of the Year award so that he could be a model to government servants to work honestly and diligently and not be mere agents of corruption for the ministers.
While Michael was presented the Personality of the year award, Josephine Dias was presented the Gulab award for tiatrist and Vincy Quadros was presented the award for Gulab Writer of the year. While Osvi Viegas sang a song on Fr Freddy J da Costa three songs written and composed by Fr Freddy were also sang.
The programme was organized by Fr Freddy J a Costa Memorial Trust along with Felicio Cardoso-che Pattlavdar and Konkani Bhasha Mandal.
