After reading subject article by GODFREY J. I. GONSALVES , one of the item reminded me of an incident it happened some years back. There was All India Konkani Samelan at Sanklli and Late Dr. Rebello took me along for attending this samelan where I introduced my self as member of Kuwait Konknni Kendr from Kuwait. During the recess time, I took some courage to confront/question in our meeting with Mr. Tomazinho Cardozo then was a strong member of Goa Congress, I asked him why Dr. Willy D'Souza, then Leader of Goa Congress ( a break away faction of Indian National Congress) did not recommend Konkani in Roman Script also while making Official Language of Goa? to which he told me it was not done so as you know the Politicians.
It is worth reminding, although Goa Congress was a rebel faction of Congress at that time, INC leadership at Delhi had a soft corner and still respected and considered Goa Congress Leadership as representatives of Roman Script lovers mostly from Christian population and therefore Dr. Willy was specially summoned to Delhi to know what was his intention towards making the Konkani as official language of Goa and what scripts was to adopt. The devil-traitor took charge of Dr. Willy's soul that time and he agreed and accepted the Devanagri script only instead of agreeing the Roman Script also. That time the INC leaders must have remembered what Nehru have said about Goans after India took over Goa i.e. "Ajib heim he logh Goa-ka".
Delhi Congress Leadership has deliberately summoned Dr. Willy even though they broke from IN Congress and formed a new party called Goa Congress because they have love and sympathy towards Goans of Romi lovers and not to do injustice to this faction by not accepting the Roman Script and making only Devanagri script as the official language of Goa.
I strongly believe that had Dr. Willy recommended and strongly supported the Roman Script, INC leaders who were ruling India at that time would love to agree so because that was the reason they specially called Willy to Delhi even though he was a rebel Congress leader. Goans who wanted the Roman script also to be accepted as script of official language lost their very dear cause only because of Goa Congress and their leadership.
Mr. Tomazinho who now think he is a fighter for Roman Script had no acceptable response to my question and instead he told me this is politics and anything can happen in politics no matter how much dear is the cause for Konkani Roman Script lovers. And I smelt rat in his response. Enemy of Konkani in Roman Script to be one of the scripts of the Official language of Goa may not be only the Devanagri Sript stalwart but Dr. Willy and Goa Gongress leaders themselves.
Roman Script lovers should therefore hold the leaders of Goa Congress specially the Christian MLAs fully responsible for this treason. It is because of them we lost a very dear cause, cant this be changed at this stage or does it require a revolution?
Thanks.
Elvino Rodrigues,
Navelim - Goa.
December 21, 2010
December 20, 2010
FOR THE CAUSE OF ROMI KONKANI.
Twenty four years ago when the youthful Floriano Vaz a ST from Gogol Fatorda Salcete Goa India was shot dead at noon near his home at Gogol; it was BBC's then correspondent Mark Tully who reported the news at 1700 hrs.on the BBC radio news channel well before the local and national news agencies.
That sparked a near riot in the commercial city of Margao. That the cause was linked to the ongoing agitation for recognition of Konkani as the official language was obvious .
But the immediate cause for this dastardly provocation was a tiff between Mr Vaz's ex employer the son of a prominent Goud Saraswat Brahmin industrialist from Comba, Margao -- The CRP personnel who fired the fatal round on Vaz was mainly at the behest of the son of this industrialist who was allegedly prevented from proceeding in his white FIAT car (whose number plate was later changed to avoid implication ) as the road was blocked by boulders by Vaz and his youthful supporters.
Well this turned out to be the first martyr for the cause of Konkani. The others were killed in Neura Tiswadi (Ilhas) Goa and a memorial was immediately installed in front of the Church of St Lawrence at Agacaim Ilhas Tiswadi Goa.
But what is the politics behind the erection of a memorial for late Vaz at the Fatorda junction as demanded by the ex- Chief Minister and present PWD Minister Mr Churchill Alemao?
It is understood that the GSB's are all aware that the real culprit for causing the death of late Vaz was none other than the member of their own class and community. The area where the proposed memorial is planned just over 500 meters from the Chowgule College junction and happens to be the new residential township of GSB's who have moved lock stall and barrel from Comba in Margao to self contained bungalows near the Gogol Mutt and within the periphery of the College and Gogol garden.. The area is now known as Vidya nagar.
Therefore obviously they fear that the memorial if erected will haunt them with memories of that fateful day and this constituency being mainly dominated by the ST's there would be reason for provocation and ill feelings against the GSB's at a later date.
Hence the opposition to have any memorial at Old Market (porposed earlier ) or at the Gogol junction both in the Fatorda Assembly.
Incidentally Mr Alemao who alongwith Mr Atanasio (Babush) Monserate the Minister for Education (who is celebrating his birthday today ) had promised to pursue the issue of grant of official recognition to Konkani written in the Roman script at the hustings have now remain silent. The present Official Language act of 1987 grants official status only to devanagari as specifically listed at item 2 (c) of the OLA 1987. Hence deletion of the words (in Devnagari) by an amendment would have solved this issue making -- unity in ONE language and diversity in script -- as a feature to unite Goans more so being the 50th year of Liberation of Goa.
But the reason why these politicians and several others who depend on the Catholic vote bank mainly in the Old Conquests of Salcete Mormugao and Ilhas (Tiswadi) develop cold feet is because the Church heirarchy in Goa essentially a Brahmin led heirarchy which ranks highest in the decision making body has failed to press for the need for recognition to Konkani in the Roman script.
A little probing led this writer to realise that the Catholic Brahmins post Liberation forced their progeny to learn Konkani in devanagari for fear that they would be branded as antinationals for their adherence to Portuguese regime. Several Catholic Brahmins had even adopted Indian names for their progeny for the same reasons.
It is not that they have any love for the devanagiri except the fear of being ostracised by the majority Hindu community post Liberation. The Church heirarchy also belongs to this school of thought and hence despite the fact that they use Roman script for all the religious rites etc they dread to support the cause of recognition to Konkani in Roman script.
Ironically such is the hypocricy adopted by the Church heirarchy that while they support a collective floated by GSB's viz Catholic for Devanagiri even though most of them do not know to read and write Konkani in devanagri they have allowed non Brahmin Catholic priests to fully support the cause of Konkani in Roman script. Notble among them who has spared no efforts to harp for recognition to Konkani in Roman script is Fr. Conceissao of Carambolim Church .
The present CM Mr Digamber Kamat who short of official recognition to Konkani in the Roman script is prepared to do any thing for Konkani and its usage in Roman script as has been his enthusiam shown in the sphere of "tiatr" therefore it is a challenge to elected representatives of the likes of Churchill and Monseratte to show their true love for the cause of their mother tongue.
It is not too late given that we are heading for mid term polls in the State while the BJP is at its lowest ebb --- if not elections in due course 18 month later in May 2012. Thus during the forthcoming winter session in January 2011 these Ministers could easily get a MLA from the ruling coalition either Mr Francis Silveira, Ms Victoria Fernandes or Mr Francisco Micky Pacheco to move an amendment to OLA 1987 and give a due place to Konkani in the Roman script in the Golden Jubilee year.
from the Gogol end
GODFREY J. I. GONSALVES,
BORDA, MARGAO,
403 602, GOA. (INDIA)+
91 98221 58584 (24 HRS)
gonsalvesgodfreyji@yahoo.co.in
That sparked a near riot in the commercial city of Margao. That the cause was linked to the ongoing agitation for recognition of Konkani as the official language was obvious .
But the immediate cause for this dastardly provocation was a tiff between Mr Vaz's ex employer the son of a prominent Goud Saraswat Brahmin industrialist from Comba, Margao -- The CRP personnel who fired the fatal round on Vaz was mainly at the behest of the son of this industrialist who was allegedly prevented from proceeding in his white FIAT car (whose number plate was later changed to avoid implication ) as the road was blocked by boulders by Vaz and his youthful supporters.
Well this turned out to be the first martyr for the cause of Konkani. The others were killed in Neura Tiswadi (Ilhas) Goa and a memorial was immediately installed in front of the Church of St Lawrence at Agacaim Ilhas Tiswadi Goa.
But what is the politics behind the erection of a memorial for late Vaz at the Fatorda junction as demanded by the ex- Chief Minister and present PWD Minister Mr Churchill Alemao?
It is understood that the GSB's are all aware that the real culprit for causing the death of late Vaz was none other than the member of their own class and community. The area where the proposed memorial is planned just over 500 meters from the Chowgule College junction and happens to be the new residential township of GSB's who have moved lock stall and barrel from Comba in Margao to self contained bungalows near the Gogol Mutt and within the periphery of the College and Gogol garden.. The area is now known as Vidya nagar.
Therefore obviously they fear that the memorial if erected will haunt them with memories of that fateful day and this constituency being mainly dominated by the ST's there would be reason for provocation and ill feelings against the GSB's at a later date.
Hence the opposition to have any memorial at Old Market (porposed earlier ) or at the Gogol junction both in the Fatorda Assembly.
Incidentally Mr Alemao who alongwith Mr Atanasio (Babush) Monserate the Minister for Education (who is celebrating his birthday today ) had promised to pursue the issue of grant of official recognition to Konkani written in the Roman script at the hustings have now remain silent. The present Official Language act of 1987 grants official status only to devanagari as specifically listed at item 2 (c) of the OLA 1987. Hence deletion of the words (in Devnagari) by an amendment would have solved this issue making -- unity in ONE language and diversity in script -- as a feature to unite Goans more so being the 50th year of Liberation of Goa.
But the reason why these politicians and several others who depend on the Catholic vote bank mainly in the Old Conquests of Salcete Mormugao and Ilhas (Tiswadi) develop cold feet is because the Church heirarchy in Goa essentially a Brahmin led heirarchy which ranks highest in the decision making body has failed to press for the need for recognition to Konkani in the Roman script.
A little probing led this writer to realise that the Catholic Brahmins post Liberation forced their progeny to learn Konkani in devanagari for fear that they would be branded as antinationals for their adherence to Portuguese regime. Several Catholic Brahmins had even adopted Indian names for their progeny for the same reasons.
It is not that they have any love for the devanagiri except the fear of being ostracised by the majority Hindu community post Liberation. The Church heirarchy also belongs to this school of thought and hence despite the fact that they use Roman script for all the religious rites etc they dread to support the cause of recognition to Konkani in Roman script.
Ironically such is the hypocricy adopted by the Church heirarchy that while they support a collective floated by GSB's viz Catholic for Devanagiri even though most of them do not know to read and write Konkani in devanagri they have allowed non Brahmin Catholic priests to fully support the cause of Konkani in Roman script. Notble among them who has spared no efforts to harp for recognition to Konkani in Roman script is Fr. Conceissao of Carambolim Church .
The present CM Mr Digamber Kamat who short of official recognition to Konkani in the Roman script is prepared to do any thing for Konkani and its usage in Roman script as has been his enthusiam shown in the sphere of "tiatr" therefore it is a challenge to elected representatives of the likes of Churchill and Monseratte to show their true love for the cause of their mother tongue.
It is not too late given that we are heading for mid term polls in the State while the BJP is at its lowest ebb --- if not elections in due course 18 month later in May 2012. Thus during the forthcoming winter session in January 2011 these Ministers could easily get a MLA from the ruling coalition either Mr Francis Silveira, Ms Victoria Fernandes or Mr Francisco Micky Pacheco to move an amendment to OLA 1987 and give a due place to Konkani in the Roman script in the Golden Jubilee year.
from the Gogol end
GODFREY J. I. GONSALVES,
BORDA, MARGAO,
403 602, GOA. (INDIA)+
91 98221 58584 (24 HRS)
gonsalvesgodfreyji@yahoo.co.in
December 19, 2010
LAND IS THE ROOT CAUSE OF ALL THE PROBLEMS IN GOA.
Land Is The Root Cause Of All The Problems In Goa.
On eve of the so called liberation of Goa, Chief Minister DigambarKamat finally spoke the truth when he said land is the root cause ofall the problems, both political and apolitical in Goa. Land is anasset that we Goans can ill afford to loose. Land is one commoditythat once sold is gone forever. A number of Goans for short term gainshave done away with the land that was handed down, through generationsto them by their forefathers and for the time being, may not regretbut there will come a time when posterity will curse their elders fortheir unforgivable actions.
It is open secret that our politicians before announcing the Mopaproject had purchased vast stretches of land around Mopa at throw awayprices and now stand to make a whack once the project is forced ontothe people of Goa. Huge areas of Cummunidade lands have changed handsvia our politicians, SEZ is another classic example by which we Goanshave been taken for a jolly good ride in the name of development. CRZtoo has been used to curtail the free flowing coastal Goans andpromote expansion of star hotels. Our politicians have made land theirprimary objective to climb the personal colossal financial pyramid.
Chief Minister Digambar Kamat has also promised to make Goa a rolemodel state in 50 years time, it’s been 50 years since the so calledliberation, Goa is already famous, as one of the most corrupt state inIndia, courtesy our corrupt Goan politicians, where crime andcriminals flourish with impunity, murderers and drug lords can come inand then disappear at will, law and order has been deteriorating bythe day. Road accidents on the rise, water problems a galore, powerfailures, more often than not. It would indeed take some doing by Diguand the people to follow, to make Goa a model state. It’s not animpossible task with able dedicated people at the helm, but with Diguand Company Goa is only heading for the inevitable.
So far in almost every land scams our politicians have been involveddirectly or indirectly they have had their hands in every land piethat’s baked in Goa, they just have a one point agenda to sell Goa tothe highest bidder irrespective of the public outcry. Chief Minister’schair is certainly a huge responsibility, that’s the reason we need aconstructive mind with a constructive foresight to be on the chair,where the buck stops. So far none have shown the will nor theinclination to work for the betterment of Goa and Goans.
Chief Minister Digambar Kamat has also initiated something called thedraft vision 2035, which he says will be kept open for debate, hope itdoes not turn out to be like the two RP’s, so far, from what we haveseen, Digambar’s vision, lacks vision, much to be desired, if notaltogether despised, as it is detrimental to Goa and Goans. Goa’s woesand problems have been the handy work of our corrupt politicians andland has been the centrifugal force in the eye of the storm.
Freddy Agnelo Fernandes,
Nuem, Cabo-de-Rama - Goa,
Dubai - UAE.
On eve of the so called liberation of Goa, Chief Minister DigambarKamat finally spoke the truth when he said land is the root cause ofall the problems, both political and apolitical in Goa. Land is anasset that we Goans can ill afford to loose. Land is one commoditythat once sold is gone forever. A number of Goans for short term gainshave done away with the land that was handed down, through generationsto them by their forefathers and for the time being, may not regretbut there will come a time when posterity will curse their elders fortheir unforgivable actions.
It is open secret that our politicians before announcing the Mopaproject had purchased vast stretches of land around Mopa at throw awayprices and now stand to make a whack once the project is forced ontothe people of Goa. Huge areas of Cummunidade lands have changed handsvia our politicians, SEZ is another classic example by which we Goanshave been taken for a jolly good ride in the name of development. CRZtoo has been used to curtail the free flowing coastal Goans andpromote expansion of star hotels. Our politicians have made land theirprimary objective to climb the personal colossal financial pyramid.
Chief Minister Digambar Kamat has also promised to make Goa a rolemodel state in 50 years time, it’s been 50 years since the so calledliberation, Goa is already famous, as one of the most corrupt state inIndia, courtesy our corrupt Goan politicians, where crime andcriminals flourish with impunity, murderers and drug lords can come inand then disappear at will, law and order has been deteriorating bythe day. Road accidents on the rise, water problems a galore, powerfailures, more often than not. It would indeed take some doing by Diguand the people to follow, to make Goa a model state. It’s not animpossible task with able dedicated people at the helm, but with Diguand Company Goa is only heading for the inevitable.
So far in almost every land scams our politicians have been involveddirectly or indirectly they have had their hands in every land piethat’s baked in Goa, they just have a one point agenda to sell Goa tothe highest bidder irrespective of the public outcry. Chief Minister’schair is certainly a huge responsibility, that’s the reason we need aconstructive mind with a constructive foresight to be on the chair,where the buck stops. So far none have shown the will nor theinclination to work for the betterment of Goa and Goans.
Chief Minister Digambar Kamat has also initiated something called thedraft vision 2035, which he says will be kept open for debate, hope itdoes not turn out to be like the two RP’s, so far, from what we haveseen, Digambar’s vision, lacks vision, much to be desired, if notaltogether despised, as it is detrimental to Goa and Goans. Goa’s woesand problems have been the handy work of our corrupt politicians andland has been the centrifugal force in the eye of the storm.
Freddy Agnelo Fernandes,
Nuem, Cabo-de-Rama - Goa,
Dubai - UAE.
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