Script row, equal status to Marathi criticised

Script row, equal status to Marathi criticised

KUNDAPUR, FEB 7, 2009

Claiming that Konkani is a national language, noted Konkani poet Ramesh Veluskar has expressed concern over the ‘clash and controversy of the script issue’, which is plaguing the Konkani community.
Veluskar was delivering the presidential address at the 19th two-day Akhil Bharatiya Konkani Sahitya Sammelan, which got off to a start at Bhandarkar’s College, Kundapur, near Mangalore, Saturday morning.
Business magnate P Dayanand Pai from Bangalore inaugurated the literary meet in the absence of Ravindra Kelekar, who was absent due to ill health.
Veluskar also voiced disapproval over the undesirable “award-attitude” among writers that creates unwanted stress, thereby stifling literary virtues and talents.
“The true worry concerning Konkani is about awards. Many a time, we write a book and then yearn for the Sahitya Akademi Award. We publish second book and wait for an award. The moment third book is published, we float in a different world of our own that creates unwanted stress on us,” opined Veluskar.
He called upon the people to awaken the masses to appreciate the rich folklore in the Konkani-speaking areas.
“Rich folklore, though unwritten, appears to be sidelined. True history is reflected on our folklore and literature. Awakening the masses from the deep slumber to know their cultural richness is the need of the hour”, he said.
In his speech, which was read out by Pundalik Naik, Ravindra Kelekar came down heavily on those demanding equal status to Marathi.
“Two noted Goan Marathi writers always communicate in Konkani. Though Hindus of Goa have accepted Marathi as a cultural language, one should agree that it (Marathi) can never be our mother tongue, as we had to specially learn it. We (Goans) never converse with each other in Marathi,” said Kelekar.
Kelekar also asserted the importance of quality and not quantity in literature. “Language cannot grow due to a number of books published in it, but it grows due to proficient books which require prolific writers. However, only ardent readers can create prolific writers”, he asserted.
Rajya Sabha MP and president of Akhil Bharatiya Konkani Parishad Adv Shantaram Naik said he and then chief minister Ravi Naik were instrumental in getting then union minister Shankar Rao Chavan to include Konkani in the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution.
Reminiscing that the Bill to give official language status to Konkani was passed in February 1987 and Konkani was given the Official Language status on December 19, 1987, Shantaram Naik said he is the ‘first and the last’ MP, whose speech at the Parliament was presented and recorded in Konkani.
Fr Alban D’Souza of RC Church, Kundapur, MLC Srinivas Pujari and others also spoke on the occasion.
Basti Vaman Shenoy, P Dayanand Pai, Raknno Editor Fr Francis Rodrigues, Dr H Shantaram of TMA Pai Foundation and others were felicitated, while six Konkani books and a CD was released on the occasion.
A poets’ meet and a dialogue was organised in the afternoon session. School and college students from Kundapur presented a special cultural programme. A large number of Konkani litterateurs from Goa, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Kerala have arrived at Kundapur to take part in the two-day meet.