Konkani in Roman script being granted “official status” was rejected by CM
The long-standing issue of Konkani in Roman script being granted “official status” was rejected by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant.
The demand has gained momentum as several villages have passed gram sabha resolutions voicing the same, and it has been suggested that ‘politics’ is the driving force behind the demand and the division of the community.
Opposition MLA’s Cruz Silva and Venzy viegals claimed that Romi Konkani should have the same official status as Devanagari Konkani in order to address what he saw as unfairness.
Venzy Veigas said that Konkani should be required for government job recruitments and highlighting the necessity of implementing the Official Language Act.
Replying it CM said that the Dalgado Konkani Academy first received funding from the Manohar Parrikar-led Bharatiya Janata Party administration. They never received assistance from Congress regimes,” Sawant remarked.
According to Sawant, the only reason it is being raised is political. In the past, a number of previous lawmakers would only bring up the demand when they were in the opposition, but they forgot about the Romi Konkani demand when they became ministers or even chief ministers.
Sawant added that the demand was also made in a 1990s writ case that was denied by the High Court. MLA Cruz Silva claimed that Romi Konkani should have the same official status as Devanagari Konkani in order to address what he saw as unfairness
In addition, Silva emphasized that the Official Language Act’s advisory board has been dormant for the past five years and demanded that the Act be amended to incorporate Romi Konkani.
Venzy Veigas endorsed this idea, arguing that Konkani should be required for government job recruitments and highlighting the necessity of implementing the Official Language Act.
