By Tomazinho Cardozo
As reported in the local press, recently, the Commissioner for NRI affairs and former Union Minister, Mr Eduardo Faleiro said, “The Sahitya Academy awards should be made available to eminent writers in Konkani whether they write in Romi, Devnagri or Kannada scripts.”

He further said that if Konkani writers in Goa agreed to this he would speak to the Sahitya Academy authorities and assured that the Sahitya Academy would have no objection in granting awards to deserving writers irrespective of the script. Mr Faleiro has really spoken his mind on this crucial issue and the lovers of Konkani, irrespective of script, must realise that it is an important way to promote and strengthen the Konkani language.
There are people in Goa who do not hesitate to state that the unity of the Konkani people has been disturbed because of the demand for equal treatment to other scripts of Konkani. This is a myth. It is not only impractical but impossible to thrust the divisive policy of “one script, one language, one literature and one society” on people who write Konkani in scripts other than Devnagri. In reality, the divide among the Konkani people has been created by this self-centred policy. It has damaged the Konkani movement. It is high time leaders realised this.
There can be no unity if there is no agreement between all concerned. In the case of Konkani too there is no agreement and hence the mantra of “one script, one language, one literature and one sahitya’ has not only harmed the unity of the Konkani people but the efforts of protagonists of Devnagri script to impose that mantra has driven people away from Konkani. In fact this divisive mantra is responsible for destroying the unity of the Konkani people.
Konkani will develop and spread only if efforts are made to popularise it, if literary work in the language receives financial support. This goal cannot be achieved by imposing one particular script on the people. It will only serve to strengthen the rift between the people. To develop the language and unite people all scripts and dialects have to be respected. We have to march ahead together – all scripts and dialects of Konkani. Then only will Konkani develop.
The issue of Konkani scripts was brought up in the general council meeting of the Sahitya Academy held on February 16. The general council of the Sahitya Academy has two members – Mr Pundalik Naik (Goa) and Mr Edwin D’Souza (Mangalore) - representing Konkani. In the said meeting Mr Edwin D’Souza brought up the issue of script and questioned why books written only in Devnagri scripts were considered for the Sahitya Academy awards. He made a strong plea to consider Konkani books written in other scripts also. Some other members of the General Council also expressed similar views and requested that a special committee be formed to look into the matter. The members might place their recommendation before the General Council at its next meeting.
Mr Pundalik Naik opposed the suggestion put forth by Edwin D’Souza. He narrated in brief the history of the Konkani script and stated that the Sahitya Academy has adopted Devnagri script for Konkani language further stating that the Devnagri script had been recognised as the official script for Konkani in Goa. However, many members did not agree with Mr Naik and hence it was decided to refer this matter to the Language Development Board.
As stated earlier, the unity of the Konkani people can only come about through agreement; not by imposing one script everyone. If in 1981, the then Advisory Board of the Sahitya Academy decided to recommend Devnagri script for Konkani, it was not through agreement but rather because of the manipulations. Ninety per cent of the members of that body were supporters of Devnagri script. The definition of Konkani language included in the Official Language Act was an act of betrayal for the lovers of Konkani in Roman script. Hence, such reasons should not hold good while resolving the script issue.
The very fact that the Sahitya Academy has referred the script issue for Konkani and other languages to the Language Development Board suggests that there is something wrong with the script policy for Konkani followed by the Sahitya Academy in the present times. In view of this, the suggestions made by Mr Eduardo Faleiro sound meaningful.  It is high time our leaders kept aside all egos and came forward with a positive mindset for the development of Konkani and the unity of the Konkani people.
‘Unity in diversity’ is the only way.