The right to choose the medium of instruction is a fundamental right of every parent and child. One cannot say that the parents who want their children to be educated in English medium at the primary level do not love their mother tongue Konkani. Choosing the medium of instruction at the primary level and expressing one’s love for their mother tongue are two separate issues. Some of us in Goa should refrain from politicising the decision made by parents to choose English as a medium of instruction for their children.
To express our love for our mother tongue, we need to take gigantic steps for the development of Konkani. The decision of our Chief Minister, Mr. Manohar Parrikar to train all IAS Officers in Konkani so that they can communicate effectively with the people of Goa, is the first big step to develop Konkani.
The real credit for keeping our mother tongue Konkani alive till today goes to our tiatrists who have worked very hard for over 120 years using tiatrs as a medium to popularise Konkani not only in Goa but also in the other states of our country, the Gulf, Europe and America.
It is important that our Government makes financial provisions in the budget to celebrate the momentous days of the development of Konkani. The government of Goa must also make special financial provisions in its annual budget to grant pension, group life and health insurance benefits for our Konkani tiatrists.
The first Konkani film ‘Mogacho Anvddo’ by Jerry Braganza was screened on April 24, 1950. In our Country, it is a tradition to garland the statues of our first Chief Ministers or Prime Minister. But neither the government, Goa Konkani Academy, nor the BBSM took the responsibility of celebrating this big day in the history of Konkanni. Only the Tiatr Academy celebrates this great day as ‘Konkani Cinema Day’ every year to pay tribute to all those who worked for the development of Konkani.
Our tiartists are making big sacrifices to keep Konkani alive. It is the responsibility of our government to care for our tiatrist. Such financial provisions in the annual budget by the government for the tiatrs will ensure more and more sons and daughters of the soil take up tiatr and Konkani films as a profession. Our mother tongue Konkani will grow and unemployment will be reduced.
Parrikar Bab I am sure that our fellow Goans will certainly remember you as a generous and a visionary Chief Minister. But the moment you take the gigantic step of making special provisions in the budget for our Konkani tiatrists, Goans will remember you as the architect of the development of Konkani. When the going gets tough, the tough get going. Your fellow Goans will be indebted to you for life.
