PRESS
CONFERENCE JOINTLY ORGANIZED BY
DALGADO
KONKNNI AKADEMI,
JAGOTIK KONKNNI SONGHOTTON,
ROMI
LIPI ACTION FRONT AND TIATR ACADEMY GOA
1.
This
has reference to the Press Conference given by Goa Konkani Academy (GKA)
yesterday (23.09.2013) and to the numerous faulty statements made by Shri
Pundalik Naik, President of GKA.
2.
It
is unfortunate to observe that a literary institution like GKA is opposed to
giving awards to Konknni in Romi script. This only proves the selfish attitude
of promoting Devnagari script by destroying the Romi script in Goa. They tried
to do so in the past and failed miserably.
3.
These
four organizations namely, Dalgado Konknni Akademi, Jagotik Konknni Songhotton (Global Konknni Organisation), Romi Lipi
Action Front and Tiatr Academy Goa strongly support the decision taken by the
Chairman of Kala Academy and Hon’ble MLA of St. Andre Constituency, Shri Vishnu
Surya Wagh for giving separate literary award not only to Konknni in Romi
script but also for books in English and in other regional languages written by
Goans. In fact this decision must be hailed by all the persons of literature
because Shri Vishnu Surya Wagh has recognized the literary creativity not only
in Konknni and Marathi but also in other languages used by Goans.
4.
GKA
has not projected factual position of literary awards as far as Goa Kala
Academy is concerned. Goa Kala Academy has been awarding literary awards to
Konknni in Devnagari script as well as to Konknni in Romi script since the
inception of literary awards by Kala Academy. There are so many writers of
Konknni in Romi script who have received such awards in the past.
5.
It
was in 1987 that the Official Language Act (OLA) of Goa was passed and
fraudulently it was mentioned in the Act that Konknni in Devnagari script will
be the Official Language. In fact this was the great betrayal to the
protagonists of Konknni in Romi script because of whose support the Konknni
language became the Official Language of Goa.
6.
It
is after the Act was implemented that some leaders of Devnagari lobby such as Adv.
Uday Bhembre, Pundalik Naik, Naguesh Karmali, Arvind Bhatikar, Fr. Mousinho
Ataide and others worked directly or indirectly to stop the promotion and
development of Konknni in Romi script. Their selfish actions are :
a) They stopped Kala Academy from giving
awards to Konknni in Romi script as they controlled the committees of Kala
Academy. The reason given was that the OLA recognizes Konknni in Devnagri
script only.
b) GKA did not help in any way for
the promotion and development of Konknni in Romi script. It was only in 2005
that the Goa Govt., with a resolution passed in the Goa Assembly, directed the
GKA to provide funds for the promotion and development of Konknni in Romi
script.
c) This lobby has succeeded in
manipulating the Konknni movement at all levels. At the Sahitya Akademi, New
Delhi their manipulative tactics have helped them to keep away the protagonists
of Konknni in Romi script, since the recognition of Konknni by Sahitya Akademi in 1976. This is proved from
the facts that the advisory bodies appointed by the Sahitya Akademi have 10 out
of 10 members who are the supporters of Devnagari script. Their strategy is
such that they appoint some Christians to the advisory bodies to show that they
include everyone. However, the Christians who are appointed are basically the
supporters of Devnagari script.
With all these actions, it only
proves that Devnagari lobby is all out to destroy Konknni in Romi script.
7.
Because
Kala Academy stopped giving Literary Award to Konknni in Romi script and GKA
refusing to support Konknni in Romi script, the protagonists of Konknni in Romi
script agitated. They appealed to the political leadership of Goa as well as to
the lovers of Konknni language to give justice to Konknni in Romi script. As a
result of this, the then Govt. of Goa, including the Opposition, was compelled
to pass resolution in Goa Assembly to direct GKA to promote and develop Konknni
in Romi script also.
8.
It
is due to the direction of Govt. that GKA were compelled to support Konknni in
Romi script since 2005. It is completely wrong to make it appear that they
supported Konknni in Romi script out of their free will.
9.
It
is also wrongly informed by GKA that they supported Government’s decision to
get Govt. grants to Dalgado Konknni Akademi (DKA) for the promotion and
development of Konknni in Romi script. In fact, they opposed even at the last
moment and tried to stop the then Chief Minister to give grants to DKA but in
vain.
10. Protagonists of Konknni in Romi
script continued their fight with Kala Academy to restore the Literary Award to
Konknni in Romi script. The protagonists of Konknni in Romi script also
demanded that Award for Konknni in Romi script should be given in a separate
category. This is needed because the Devnagari lobby consider the literature of
Konknni in Romi script is below standard and many a time pass derogatory
comments on literature of Konknni in Romi script even without reading the
books. This bias against Konknni in Romi script does not help the writers of
Konknni in Romi script to get any awards as the panel of judges include Devnagari
writers only. Hence the demand for separate category.
11. The agitation with Kala Academy
continued and finally the Executive Board of Kala Academy took a decision to
give separate award for Konknni books in Romi script. The press note to this
effect was issued, books in Konknni in Romi script were called, a committee was set up and the
first award for a book in Konknni in Romi script for the first time was given by Kala Academy
in separate category. The book ‘Kunkolle-Ek Mahan Ganv’ written by late Fr. Planton Faria received the first literary award.
12. However, as the decision
afterwards was discussed in the General Council of Kala Academy, Adv. Uday
Bhembre who was the member of General
Council of Kala Academy along with the supporters of all the Marathi lovers in
the General Council managed to revert the decision. Once again injustice to
Konknni in Romi script was perpetuated by Kala Academy due to the pressure tactics
from Devnagari lobby. That time Shri Pratapsing Rane was the Chairman of Kala
Academy.
13. When Shri Vishnu Surya Wagh became the Chairman of
Kala Academy, the protagonists of Konknni in Romi script again approached the Chairman
and placed before him the injustice done to writers of Konknni in Romi script.
Being a litterateur himself, he understood the matter and finally took a
decision in the Executive Board as well as in the General Council to give
separate award to Konknni in Romi script along with separate awards to other
Goans who create literature in English and in other Indian languages.
14. From the statements of the
leaders of the GKA and that of Devnagari lobby, it only appears that they are
frustrated because if recognition is given to Konknni in Romi script it may
flourish and adversely affect the prospects of Konknni in Devnagari script as it happened in the primary
education.
15. These four organizations will
leave no stone unturned to see that the decision taken by Kala Academy is not
reverted because it is done to give justice to the writers of Konknni in Romi
script. These organizations will meet the Hon’ble Chief Minister and other
political personalities to see that the justice done to writers of Konknni in
Romi script is not sabotaged.
Shri Premanand
A. Lotlikar, President
of Dalgado Konknni Akademi
Shri Tomazinho
Cardozo, President
of Jagotik Konknni Songhotton
Prince Jacob, President of Tiatr Academy Goa
Shri Wilson
Mazarello, Convenor, Romi
Lipi Action Front
Shri
Jose Salvador Fernandes,
Secretary of Dalgado Konknni Akademi
Shri Walter Menezes, Treasurer of Dalgado Konknni Akademi
Fr.Conceicao D'Silva, Executive Member of Dalgado Konknni Akademi
Xmt. Jessie Dias, Executive Member of Dalgado Konknni Akademi
Dated: 24.09.2013
Place: Tiatr
Academy Goa, Conference Hall,
Campal,
Panjim, Goa
