Implementation of the Sectarian Act

Implementation of the Sectarian Act



The Official Language Act of Goa, in its present form is “lop-sided" and hence, it is wrong to implement it.
The Oficial Language Act of Goa in its present form is "Sectarian” and hence, it is divisive in nature.
The Official Language Act of Goa in its present form is “Communal” and hence, it promotes communalism in Goa.

Inspite of all these negatives, if the Government of Goa is hell-bent on implementing it, it will only lead to chaos, confusion and add one more communal - wedge between two major communities of Goa , viz. the Hindus and  Christians..

However, the biggest sufferer of the enforced implementation, will be the Konkani Language itself.
Our mother-tongue Konkani will become the “sacrificial lamb” at the altar of the sadists and communalists.

The Official Language Act in its present form has already succeeded in alienating major players from the Konkani Field & now by its enforced implementation, the Government of Goa will only be sending one more negative signal to the Christian community of Goa that “Salazar-giri” is back in Goa in the form of present Politicians and Devnagari -Script fanatics.

The move to implement the Official Language Act in its present form, is nothing but utter “Communalism”. It gives Goans the feeling that some communal elements in the Government or some communal advisors of the present Government , are attempting a frustrated back-door entry.

They are telling the Christian Community that since the communalists have failed in ‘forceful religious conversions” , they will now, forcefully convert the Goan Christians in their non-religious fields viz. Employment, Education, Art and Culture.

But will it work? Do they really think that the Christian Community of Goa is “dumb”?

No . The Christian Community of Goa is not “dumb”. Their only weakness is “tolerance”, but believe me even “tolerance” of Goans from the Christian community, has a limit.

Please do not push them beyond a point. Christians of Goa who are 99.9% Roman Script users, can best be described by the famous Goan saying “Saad ghaltolya Kombyak, panttle pondak dhamplo mhunn tho kaim Saad ghalinastana rauta?”

Since these communalists have the “power” of the Government Machinery behind them , they may succeed with their money , up to a particular point but at grave cost to the Goan Society , ie. they may drive the Roman Script users to a point of desperation forcing them to embrace English, at the cost of Konkani.

As it is, in the present set up, the entire younger generation of Goa, including those from the Hindu Community, is already in the clutches of the English language.

What we need most, now, is a spirit of give and take, a spirit of compromise, a spirit of accommodation among all Goans and not “Salazar-giri” as is being shown by the present Government .

Goa needs leaders from among the people with a rationalistic approach, not self- proclaimed leaders filled with arrogance.

Goa needs “Nehrus”, not “Nagesh Karmalis”.

Nagesh Karmali may have his way by changing the name plates at Government Offices into Devanagri Konkani, but what will Nagesh Karmali do, if the entire Private Sector in Goa decides to have their name-plates in “Roman-Script-Konkani"?

This is a “food for thought” for the all the Nagesh Karmalis in our Government.

Wilmix Wilson Mazarello
(Convenor, ‘Romi Lipi Action Front’)