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Sunday, July 22, 2007

UGDP rules out tie-up with SGF

Attempts by Save Goa Front supremo Churchill Alemao and UGDP MLA Babush Monserrate to seek official recognition for Konkani in the Roman script appears to have finally grounded talks to bring the two regional outfits under one banner.


What’s more, the move has caused a divide in the UGDP, with its lone MLA supporting the Roman script, and the party, controlled by Anacleto Viegas, opposing the proposal.
In fact, UGDP secretary general Anacleto Viegas told Herald on Friday that the two parties cannot come together with the outfits at loggerheads on all major issues, including the language script row.
“As far as the UGDP is concerned, the chances of the two parties coming together are over. We will retain the identity of the UGDP, come what may,” he asserted.
Viegas further tried to reason out why the party’s lone MLA Babush Monserrate supported Churchill Alemao’s proposal vis-a-vis Roman script.
“Whatever Babush said in the House, was his personal opinion, and not that of the UGDP,” Viegas pointed out.
He lambasted Save Goa Front supremo Churchill Alemao for raking up the script issue for personal gains.
He said that the party did not authorise Babush to support the Roman script, as the party did not deliberate the issue.
“There is difference of opinion in the party over the issue. A majority favours status quo on the matter,” he maintained, adding, “It was not right for Babush to support the Roman script when the party is yet to deliberate and decide on the issue.”
A strong votary of Konkani in the Devnagri script, Viegas said that the script issue is no longer relevant in the State. “I subscribe to the view of the government that the issue was settled long ago,” he stated.
On Churchill raking up the script issue, the UGDP secretary general said, “Someone who has not learnt Konkani in either scripts — Devnagri or Roman — should not advise Goans on the matter.”
He feared that Churchill’s moves to accord official status to Konkani in the Roman script would only communalise Goan society, especially when the people have accepted the Official Language Act. “He is doing this for personal gains,” Viegas noted.
When asked about the fate of the 6-member committee constituted to explore the possibility of uniting the two regional forces, Viegas shot back, “What can the committee members do when there are major differences between the UGDP and the SGF on several issues?”

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