MARGAO: A total of 18 village gram sabhas have passed resolutions on Sunday to include Romi Konkani in Goa's Official Language Act. The participating gram sabhas include Betalbatim, Nachinola, Camorlim, Socorro, Bastora, Carmona, Nuvem, Quelossim, Sarzora, Chinchinim, Varca, Reis Magos, Agonda, and Mandur, among others, which have agreed to support and promote the Romi Konkani language.
To date, 33 gram sabhas have passed such resolutions. This brings the total number of gram sabhas that have so far passed resolutions demanding equal status to Konkani in Romi script in Goa’s Official Language Act along with Konkani in Devnagari Script to 33.
Incidentally, Betalbatim also passed a resolution against hosting the Sunburn festival, a common thread in several other gram sabhas as well.
“On Sunday around 18 panchayat gram sabhas across Goa have adopted the resolutions demanding equal status for Roman script along with Devanagari with a request to write to the Commissioner of Linguistic Minorities, Delhi and the Chief Minister of Goa to investigate into the matter and give justice to Roman script which has been discriminated for the last 36 years,” said Kennedy Afonso, Global Konknni Forum (GKF) President.
He said the Chief Minister and the government of Goa must listen to the growing demands of people, which is resounding in the gram sabhas every Sunday, and stop this discrimination to Romi script going on for last 36 years. Global Konkani Forum, also requests the 14 MLAs representing the Linguistic Minorities, and other MLAs to rise up in the Assembly, to fulfill the aspirations of the people, by discussing the matter in the House,” Afonso said.
He recalled that the government had disallowed the resolution moved by Velim MLA Cruz Silva on July 26 but hopes that when it comes up again on July 30, during the demands and grants, this matter would be taken up again and the 14 MLAs representing Linguistic Minorites would urge the government to accept the demands of the people being raised at the 33 gram sabhas so far. He added that the voices of the people cannot be suppressed, indicating that more village gram sabhas may take similar action when for their respective meetings.
Afonso also thanked all the gram sabha members for unanimously passing the resolutions in their respective villages.
GKF Secretary Jose Salvador Fernandes, GKF Vice President Michael Gracias, as well as others like activist Anthony Da Silva from Ambelim, Antonio Alvares from Navelim, and Franky D'Mello also praised the momentum building among the villagers. They expressed hope that it would translate into a change in the government wherein their demands will be met. They also lamented the injustice meted out to their language over the past many years.
The activists questioned why this issue had not been properly addressed in the Assembly in the past. However, they expressed optimism that with the current public pressure, this is the opportune time for significant progress. They hope there will be no more delays in achieving the dreams of Goans at large, as evidenced by the multiple gram sabha resolutions.
Vasco citizens oppose Sunburn in south goa
VASCO: A group of Vasco citizens on Monday submitted a memorandum to the Mormugao Deputy Collector opposing the Sunburn electronic dance music (EDM) festival proposed in the South Goa district in December this year.
The citizens have demanded that the government should take action on the event organisers for announcing the venue and allegedly selling tickets online without obtaining necessary approvals and permission from the government departments.
They stated that though the government had no information, the Sunburn organisers have started to sell tickets for the three-day event. The EDM festival was spoiling Goa’s culture and was a festival allegedly known for drugs and prostitution and will ruin Goans totally, said former Congress minority cell chairman Nazir Khan.
Social worker and former journalist Elvino Araujo said that the group would support all the NGOs who are opposing the Sunburn festival in South Goa district.
The citizens further pointed out that none of the Goans were a part of the festival but the event sees a huge influx of people from other parts of the country. We will oppose the festival in totality and not allow it to be held in South Goa. The people are smart and will hit the roads if required but not allow such EDMs events any more.