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Safeguarding Goan Identity  

The Goa Hit-Rakhan Manch is just the thing Goans needed to protect their imperilled identity

By Alexandre M Barbosa

It has happened in Assam, West Bengal, Maharashtra and Karnataka with excellent results. Public movements that have wrestled to defend and promote the culture and identity of the region and State. So why not something similar in Goa? Why not a movement to safeguard the interests of Goa and Goans? Perhaps the Goan is waking up rather late in the day, but the Utt Goenkara call has been sounded by the Goa Hit-Rakhan Manch (GHM). And at a time when one cannot repose much faith in the politicians of the State, such a movement, free from political affiliations, needs to be readily accepted for its effectiveness and usefulness.

The GHM was kindled from the dying embers of the agitation that gave Goa, Konkani. So as it possesses the awakening spirit that was so inspiring in the 1980s, it has decided this time to take a fresh look at the Konkani movement in an entirely new light and rekindle the spark for a movement towards a better Goa. If until today Goans fought for Konkani on an emotional basis and strove for its recognition as a language in its own right, the GHM has taken a different approach that is far more businesslike. Konkani, as they view it, is not merely a language for literary purposes, but a powerful instrument to safeguard the identity of Goa and Goans. If language is used as a tool in other States in the interest of the people, why not by us here in Goa? is the rationale of the GHM that is changing the face of the Konkani movement.

In Goa, where there exists a great cultural chasm between residents of the velhas conquistas and novas conquistas, language is the only unifying factor, and that language is Konkani. Political exigencies may have led some to propound the Marathi theory, but ultimately it has been Konkani that has triumphed in Goa and brought people from Patradevi to Polem and Mormugao to Mollem together.

A relatively young movement, the GHM came into being in April 1999 at Margao, following a meeting convened by the Official Language Implementation Committee which was the initiative of Konkani activists. At that meet it was decided that the new front would bury the language controversy permanently and work instead to assert the rights of Goans in the development process of the State. The aim of the GHM thereby is quite simple – guard, protect and promote the identity, culture and economic interests of Goans and to organise the people so as to assert their rights to land, employment, economic resources and language. The front resolved to stop any further erosion of the Goan identity and culture which has deteriorated alarmingly by ensuring that the government used all constitutional means, including deliberate protective economic, industrial, labour and employment policies. It is the new generation’s Konkani movement, where passion has been set aside and objectivity surmounts. And this does command the support of the stalwarts of the Konkani movement, which included Udai Bhembre, Tanaji Harlankar, J B Sardessai, Anton Piedade Moraes and others who were present at the meet which gave life to the front.

The GHM had an unpleasant experience earlier this year when the language bogey was raised once again by some unscrupulous politicians. Says GHM convenor Purnanand Chari, “When we formed this movement we didn’t know that the other side would resurrect the language controversy. If we were to fight this now it would take us back another 25 years.” Fortunately the controversy didn’t find any takers and the GHM could relax and get involved in the building up of Goa. But this controversy actually proved to be a blessing in disguise, for the GHM held taluka level meetings and from the feedback of these interactions were able to shape the agenda.

The thrust areas of the GHM as determined in later meetings are: Assertion of the Goan identity; Safeguarding the economic interests of locals; Arresting the erosion of the cultural heritage of Goa. And this they believe can be achieved only through the Konkani language.

A paper prepared by the GHM states: ‘Nothing much has changed since Goa was granted Statehood, except that our economic, political, social and cultural environment has been ruined. On the political front we find nepotism and selfish politics. Economic development has failed to improve the quality of life of the local population, which is evident from the growing unemployment and unhealthy pressure on scarce and limited land resources. On the cultural side, we face invasion on our identity and on the social front we experience divisive tendencies.’

“Language,” says Chari, who’s also the secretary of the Konkani Bhasha Mandal, “is the most powerful natural resource. If we say that the rivers, Mandovi and Zuari, are ours and so the water is ours and we use the water, so too Konkani is ours and we have to use it for our benefit.” The reasoning may sound simple, but there is much depth in what the GHM maintains. Wherever gains can be made through Konkani, these areas are being given weightage.

The GHM is of the opinion that in the past a lot of time and energy was spent fighting for the recognition of Konkani and against the Marathi forces, forgetting or rather neglecting the other aspects of the Goan culture. Now that Konkani has regained its rightful place, it is time to strive to maintain the identity and culture of the State. With this aim they have started to assert their views in some selected areas and their presence has been making an appreciable and welcome difference.

Until now the area where the GHM has proved its vigilant abilities has been in the job market. The GHM has kept a watch over advertisements announcing job opportunities in government departments and found that many have been doctored to ease the process of recruiting a candidate who has found favour with a top official. There have been cases where the knowledge of Konkani, which is an essential qualification, has been cursorily mentioned as preferable alongwith Marathi. When the GHM has pointed this out to the departments, some have been quickly cowed down and published corrigenda incorporating the necessary changes. In other cases, the intervention of the GHM has even led to cancellation of interviews as in the case of the Institute of Psychiatry and Human Behaviour and in other cases where the appointment of an outstation candidate was imminent, the GHM has seen to it that a deserving local candidate has got the job. This was in relation to the appointment of a Librarian at the Malik Arjun College, Canacona where finally a local candidate who was fully qualified was appointed. Besides the GHM has taken up various cases at the agriculture department, fisheries department, the Kala Academy and the Mormugao Port Trust where knowledge of Konkani was made compulsory for candidates intending to join as gang labourers.

Chari points out as an example the Goa University, where in recruitment to various departments, academic as well as non academic, outstation candidates are preferred by the already strong existing lobby of non Goans. The GHM has taken up the case of Assistant Registrar – Public Relations at the University, where a person without knowledge of the local language was appointed over local candidates though this was a qualification mentioned in the brochure.

“We have concentrated only on job opportunities because we know our limitations. Very soon we will be taking our struggle into other areas as well,” maintains a GHM activist. The list of areas where the GHM intends to bring about changes is exhaustive (see box on Agenda).

But the GHM is not a Konkani movement or one that has a grudge against settlers in the State. The aim of the Manch is to accommodate others but still maintain the Goan identity. Says Chari; “With the 15- year domicile we are giving them legal protection. We want to work hand-in-hand with them, but they have to first accept that they are Goans. If Goans who have migrated to other parts of India have integrated and assimilated with the people there, why can’t those who come here do the same?” While calling on Goans to shake off from their slumber and assert themselves, the GHM also calls upon the ‘new Goans’ to pitch in the struggle to change the face of Goa for the better.

Other bodies have surfaced in the past only to lose steam and pack up. The GHM predecessors – the Jagrutai Manch and Ami Goenkar – are two instances. Also included can be the North Goa headquartered Jagrut Goenkarnacho Fauz that though it exists has restricted its activities to certain fields. The GHM has a well prepared agenda, which has arisen from an in-depth study of the ills Goa faces today. While many Goans lament the identity crisis that stares Goa in the face with a near fatalistic attitude, the GHM has taken the initiative to arrest this erosion of the Goan identity and it is counting on the cooperation of these very Goans to simplify its task of creating a better tomorrow for Goa.

GHM FOR KONKANI: The GHM demands with Subhash Shirodkar that the status quo on the Official Language be maintained

ACTIVISM PAYS RESULTS: The GHM gheraos the member secretary of Kala Academy over a job opening

Questions or Comments? Please write to us at: goatoday@goa-world.com