Suppression of Romi Konkani

Suppression of Romi Konkani

Fri Jan 2 2009

ToThe Editor,Herald, Panjim Goa.

SUB:Injustice for Konkani people by Herald or is it by few staff reporters?

Sir,I am one of the regular reader/subscriber for the Herald (since 1983) and it gives me great pleasure to bring to the notice of the editor or their staff of any injustice is felt by its readers. I consider myself Herald is the only newspaper that represents to the poorest of the poor and people seeking justice irrespective of cast, creed and language. Nobody can dispute your efforts for making Konkani as the mother tongue of Goa. As a true lover and activist of Konkani then and now, I can proudly nullify the claim from any quarter and pull the string towards Herald. The battle was initiated by KPA but Herald was leading from the front with lakhs of Romi Konkani jawans suffering bullets lathis, hartals hundreds of them physically handicapped for life and 7 of them losing their lives forever. To mention another incident, your work during the CHOGM Retreat especially the front pages Photos and headlines had driven out the rest of the Goan Newspapers from the CHOGM Media Centre at Fidalgo where hundreds of print and media people were flashing out their news around the globe. I was personally involved in promoting our own Herald with no personal benefits whatsoever with the addition of my company's work allotted to me in the Media Centre. To be frank I was awarded a Special Certificate by the Director,In charge & Public Relation Officer, Media Centre (PIB) New - Delhi Mr.Suresh Chopra which I am still holding as an asset.My point to write you few lines on the subject that very recently it is noticed that Herald or its few reporters are giving step motherly treatment for the Romi Konkani lovers which is hard to believe. As a president of the Konkani organization registered with the govt.of Goa I had attended the two day "Poilem Konknni (Romi Lipi) Sahitya ani Sonsvkruti sommelon at Ravindra Bhavan,Pai Tiatrist Joao Agostinho Fernandes Nagar, Margao Goa .It was organized in a most dignified and fantastic way.The two day literary and cultural seminarhad opened the eyes of many except the few Devnagari Terrorists. I find no reason to believe whatever Fr.Pratap Naik and Churchill Alemao had spoken about the sufferings of Konkani and its people.Shri Alemao and Fr.Pratap deserves all the compliments and supports as had come out with facts and figures.Fr.Pratap is running an institution and made several discoveries that exposes the lies of the Devnagiri fanatics as their work in the last 22 years have failed to match the work of the literary priest. In Konkani we have the old saying"Chorak khuim tondd vodlem" Naiqinik khuim Naiquinn mhonnlear rag eta"Ajeak xikoitalo natu'(Someone younger or immature advising an older and wiser person. The Konknni Bhaxa Mondol and Asmitai Pratisthan have no right to criticize the priest as they have failed miserably to develop the Konkani language and on the contrary indirectly always supported the cause of Marathi. The people who had lost lives, money, faced lathis and bullets were systematically put into great inconvenience by these same Devnagiri terrorists,like any atkankwadi they have crushed the minorities for the last 22 years. Now to blame the Congress leaders for drafting the Official Language Bill is the easy way to pass the buck.Now as far as Herald is concern kindly check the news publicity given to Press report of Konkani Bhaxa Mandal and Ashmitai Prathistan in the last few days (both Devnagiri Associations) and the publicity given to Romi Lipi Sommelon or other Romi Konknni associations. Please judge it your self or may be someone is working silently to crush the movement of the Romi Konkani without the knowledge of Herald in Herald. I am not ready to believe such thingsscan happen in 'VOICE OF GOA'Please consider this as an advice.Thanks.