Writers decide to battle for equality of Konkani scripts

MANGALURU: Konkani writers battling for equal rights for all scripts are not giving up their fight just yet. These writers under the aegis of Jagotik Konknni Songhotton (JKS) has organized a daylong conference ‘Equal rights for all scripts of Konkani’ at Kalaangann, Shaktinagar on March 13. JKS firmly believes in the principle of – ‘Respect for Every Variety’ and ‘Seeking Unity in Diversity’ – as the only mantra of Konkani Unity, notes, Eric Ozario, secretary general, JKS.
In the globalised world, where every regional language is suffocating and gasping for breath, it is in the interest of every language that it is preserved in all its variety.For, if variety is destroyed and one variety is imposed, the language dies, Eric said. For many years, Konkani literature, language and unity has suffered injustice at the hands of a few manipulators who have successfully managed to capture all power centres, usurp and appropriate benefits accruing to Konkani.
This, Eric said, they have done for themselves, and with the help of every trick in the book, have ridden rough shod-over the entire Konkani movement. It is known fact that handful manipulators had also established their hegemony over advisory board of Konkani at Sahitya Akademi and have ensured that only literature in Devanagari script and practitioners of Devanagari alone – get all the awards, projects, assignments and grants that Konkani was eligible for, all these years.
Recalling the legal struggle fought to ensure equality for all scripts, Eric said only plea of writers was that all scripts in Konkani (Kannada, Roman, Devanagari, Malayalam, and Perso-Arabic) – be recognized for awards, assignments, projects and grants, and that advisory board for Konkani be reconstituted with proportionate representation to all scripts. Noting that legal reverse has been a setback, he said they are now left with no option but to approach the Supreme Court.
Admitting that going to the Supreme Court is a very expensive proposition), Eric said it is said that representatives of Devanagari lobby in Karnataka are using the (HC) verdict to beat those battling for script equality, further. “Time has come for all those who have self-respect and good of Konkani at heart, to come together and decide next course of action,” he said adding the conference on March 13 will take stock of the situation and decide on remedial measures to be taken.