PANJIM: The Romi Konkani writers and tiatrists under the banner of the newly formed Global Konknni Forum (GKF) on Tuesday reiterated their demand for official language status for Konkani in Romi script, along with Devnagari.
Speaking to mediapersons, they stated that tiatr in Romi Konkani celebrated 125 years recently. It is not only a question of script, but an entire culture and livelihood. If Romi script is also recognised as the official script then many would avail its benefits.
They felt that they had been betrayed after the Konkani agitation, when the Official Language Act was drafted and Romi script was not given Official Language status. It has been 36 long years, that Roman script suffered and great injustice and discrimination was done by subsequent governments. Many promises and assurances were given from time to time to recognise Romi script but these promises were never fulfilled.
According to Kennedy Afonso, in September 2008, the Advisory Board of the Official Language Cell of the Goa government recommended the use of Konkani in Roman script in all government offices. But this recommendation was not implemented in the State, he said, demanding that it must be implemented with immediate effect in all government offices.
The GKG leaders demanded that the government should fulfils the promise made by late Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar by introducing Konkani in Roman script in schools from standard I to XII from next academic year.
The GKG also appealed to the people of the State to adopt resolutions in their respective village panchayats demanding that the government amend the Official Language Act and include Konkani in Roman script along with Devnagari as the Official Language and to allow the use of both the scripts for official communication.