This I am writing with reference to the news appeared in the local media which said that in Britain they came out with a novel way of thanking all those Front Line Fighers against Corona Virus – COVID - 19 by saying to every major linguistic community THANK YOU in their respective languages. One of the languages is Konkani and that too in Roman Script Konkani saying ”DEV BOREM KORUM”. The tinpot Nagrivadis whose numerical strength is so low that we can easily count them on our finger tips have not only denied the Romi Script Kokani its due recognition but they have robbed us of our right to have Romi Script Konkani recognized as one of the Official Languages of Goa. But, no, these very few Nagrivadis had no Balls in their Pants to display the sense of justice towards the Romivadis. If it was not for the Romivadis, the movement for the cause of Konkani would fizzle out and collapse like a pack of cards. In the Rallies organized in Panjim from Azad Maidan and the public meetings at Azad Maidan only, the attendees were 90% the followers of Romi Script Konkani. The fund almost 90% sent and given for this purpose came from the Romi Script Konkani followers who were also on forefront under Konkani Porjecho Avaz to campaign for the recognition of KonkanI. Even the naming of KPA as KONKANI Porjecho Avaz and not as KONKNNI Porejcho Avaz was to fool the Romivadis by giving them false impression to protect their interest and their wish will be taken care of. This is the cunning idea it looks to me.
In fact, the sacrifices of Romi Konkani followers were so high that besides spending heavy amount of money to promote Konkani movement, more than 5 Romivadis suffered the martyrdom while none of the Nagrivadis faced such tragedies, they enjoyed all the facilities on Silver platter. Almost the entire movement of Konkani during its last phase in mid eighties spearheaded by the Romi followers. Inspite of this the few Nagrivadis ignored the needs and sentiments of Romivadis. Once again I indicate my disapproval over the injustice done to Romi Script Konkani and I strongly condemn those responsible for denying Romi Konkani its due place along with Nagri Script Konkani.
Since the passing of the language bill making Konkani in Nagri Script as Official Language of Goa and giving almost equal status to Marathi but nothing for Romi Script Konkani is the great setback not only for Romi Konkani but Konkani as a whole. It was the greatest tragedy of the last century. Because of this tragedy there is more distance occurred between Romi and Nagri scripts Konkani and if this situation is not revised there is every possibility for this distance to increase more. What both the Scripts jointly can do for the cause not only of Konkani but also of Goa, individually the Nagrivadis will never be able to do. On the contrary on one fine day we will be surprised to see that the Nagrivadis abdicate their responsibility in favour of Marathi because of their traditional and historical closeness with Marathi allowing Marathi to swallow the Nagri Script Konknni and Marathi to accept as by De Factp official language of Goa..
As a matter of interest, In Jerusalem in “Pater Noster” Church, the prayer “Our Father…” was kept inscribed in colourful Ceramic in ROMAN SCRIPT among other World major 150 languages. When the World gives due importance and recognition to Roman Script Konkani our own Konkanivadis are ignoring it in the very land of its own. It is time now for me to awaken all the Mauzos, Bhembros, Shivdases, Pundaliks, Naiks and many others and ask them what you have done was right? Future generation of Romi Konkani will curse you for betraying Romi Konkani with a Judas Kiss. And in history this betrayal will be kept written in black capital letters.
A.Veronica Fernandes.