Team Herald
MARGAO: The Global Konknni Forum (GKF) has strongly endorsed Datta Naik’s recent comments addressing Adv. Uday Bhembre’s refusal to acknowledge the “injustices toward the Roman script of Konkani”. GKF has now called on Bhembre to clarify his stance on the exclusion of Roman script from schools and explain the resistance to its inclusion by the Devanagri lobby.
“Datta Naik has hit the nail on the head,” said Kennedy Afonso, President of GKF, adding that the 1987 decision to make Devanagri the sole official script of Konkani under the Official Language Act left many who championed the Konknni movement in 1986, feeling betrayed. Afonso pointed out that the community, which was instrumental in preventing Goa’s merger with Maharashtra during the 1967 opinion poll and led the Konknni language movement, feels particularly aggrieved by the imposition of Devanagri, given their long-standing use of Roman script.
Afonso said that support for Roman script Konknni has been widespread across Goa, citing 53 resolutions passed by panchayats and gram sabhas—urging equal status for Roman script and its inclusion in schools. He noted this broad consensus transcends religious lines, reflecting a desire among all Goans to see Roman script gain formal recognition.
Criticising Bhembre’s role in the 1981 decision by the Sahitya Akademi’s Konknni Advisory Board to adopt Devanagri as the official script, Afonso questioned the board’s selection criteria, alleging it was dominated by Devanagri supporters and lacked an objective evaluation of other scripts. “No linguistic or scholarly criteria were applied when choosing Devanagri over other scripts,” Afonso claimed.
GKF also raised concerns over Bhembre’s continued opposition to introducing Roman script Konknni in schools, clarifying that the Official Language Act of 1987 does not restrict educational matters. The decision to include Roman script in schools, GKF pointed out, falls entirely under the jurisdiction of the State government and the education department.