Process begins on adopting common script for Konkani

MANGALORE: A decisive step has been taken to find an acceptable solution to the issue of adopting a common script and dialect for Konkani before its introduction as a subject in schools in the State.

While 37 of the 126 representatives invited for the meet by the Karnataka Konkani Sahitya Academy turned up on Sunday, its chairman, Eric Ozario, said the views of the others on the issue will be collected by May 26 and the results of the process announced by the end of the month.

If it fails to throw up a consensus for any reason, the majority opinion will hold good, he said.

The issue of introduction of Konkani as an optional subject in schools has been a long-standing demand of the academy. While Mr. Ozario's predecessors, Basti Vaman Shenoy and Alexander F. D'Souza, made efforts in this direction during their tenure, the issue has gained momentum now.

The `Lokam Prathinidinchi Jamath' or consultative process aimed at arriving at a consensus on the issue saw invitations being despatched to 48 former and present members of the academy, 32 winners of awards instituted by the academy, 27 representatives of various organisations working for the cause of Konkani and 19 editors of Konkani newspapers and periodicals.

While there was a difference of opinion among the participants on the script with views varying between adopting Devanagari, Roman and Kannada script, there was near unanimity on the issue of dialect. Most felt that this is one matter that should be left to linguists to decide for it cannot be decided on extraneous considerations of caste, creed or religion.

Mr. Ozario asserted it is important for Konkani-speaking community to set aside their internal differences and think about the cause of the language. Noting that all concerned have a responsibility in resolving the issue, he said the jamath is purely a representative body of all Konkanis.

Those making a pitch for popularising Konkani through Devanagari were of the opinion that Kendra Sahitya Akademi recognises this script and it is also the official script adopted by the Goa Government, where Konkani is an official language.

For those vouching for Kannada script, it was a case of affinity for the local lingua franca. They opined that since students study Kannada from the beginning, it will be easy to teach Konkani through Kannada script. Hindi is taught as an optional language only much later and it will be difficult for students to learn through a new language, they felt.