from Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji (GA)

Panaji, Aug 26: Chief minister Digamber Kamat's announcement to arrive at a consensus on official language row in the state is hailed by the various proponents of the issue.

"This is a good thinking. The language issue will be solved only if everybody is taken into confidence," former speaker Tomazinho Cardoso, who is vociferously supporting the movement for including Roman script in Konkani as official language, said.

Kamat, replying to a debate during the ongoing state legislative assembly, on Monday, had said that the all the stake-holders will be taken into confidence to resolve the language controversy.

The State has Konkani written in Devnagri as an official language under the Act which was passed in the assembly in 1987. Marathi although is not given a status is considered desirable while giving the government jobs.

Two different groups are pressing for inclusion of Marathi as official language and also modify the existing Act to accommodate Roman script in the act.

"When the language Act was passed, all views were not taken into consideration," Cardoso said.

The language controversy which saw huge debate in 80s was subdued after the language Act was passed. Marathi language protagonists had been trying to revive their agitation but in vain.

While the official language controversy was being forgotten, two years back a section of Catholic community raked up the demand to include Roman script in the official language. "The current official language is benefiting only three per cent," Cardoso said.

Catholic community itself remains firmly divided as many including the parish priests themselves favouring Devnagri as script in the official language.

"Don't present the Roman script support as a view of Catholic community. The script has nothing to do with the religion," Fr Mousinho De Ataide, who is a part of group known as 'Goan Catholics for Devanagri', reacted.

He said that the schools run by Diocesan society, a wing of Church, also teaches Konkani in Devnagri as Catholic educationalists like Fr Mario Meires, Antonio Pereira and others felt the same.

The political analysts, however, look at the entire controversy as a political issue considering the timing at which it has been raked up.

"Official language has always been a political issue," Sandesh Prabhudesai, a political analyst and journalist, stated.

The chief minister's statement is just to avoid any lobbying on the issue as many legislators within Congress itself are having diverse views, Prabhudesai added.

He said that the official language has always been used for political purpose right from 1987 as on ground the Act is merely in papers.