'Petition Centre to seek due share for linguistic minorities'

Manipal Global Education Chairman T V Mohandas Pai has suggested the need to petition the Union government to address the issue of inconsistency in the implementation of provisions of Article 30 of the Indian Constitution pertaining to minorities.

Speaking at the Vishwa Konkani Student Scholarships award ceremony 2014, organised by the Konkani Language and Cultural Foundation and World Konkani Centre here at T V Ramana Pai convention hall on Wednesday, he said that if the government fails to address the problems, then there is a need to think of filing a PIL in the Supreme Court demanding due share for liguisitic minorities as per the rights guaranteed in the Constitution.

The Article 30 does not make any distinction between the minorities. Owing to the failure of the government, linguistic minorities are not getting their constitutional due.

He said that linguistic minotiries should also get due share on the same footing. However, the government of India has been focusing too much on religious minorities for political gains.

“We will work on seeking equal footage. First we will petition the government. We will also study legal aspects based on the past Supreme Court judgments and a decision will be taken on filing a PIL, if need arises,” he added.

Pai said that the benefits guaranteed in the Constitution should benefit all the minorities across the country. The PIL should benefit all minorities, not only Konkani community alone, he added.

Konkani community has its own history, culture and tradition. The community is known for its leadership qualities. The scholarships are distributed to the students to chennelise them towards the welfare of the society.

“The VKSSF should plan to disburse scholarships to one lakh students in the next few years. There is a need to condut leadership trainings for the students,” he said.

MLC Ivan D’Souza said that he will raise the issue of Konkani community during the next session at Belgaum. “I will raise the issue in Konkani language,” he said.

Vishwa Konkani Kendra President Basti Vaman Shenoy presided over the programme

Anand Rathi, Mumbai Executive Director Sandeep S Shenoy, Sri Venkatramana Temple Managing Trustee M Padmanabha Pai, ICYM Central Council Mangalore Diocese President Melreeda Rodrigues, VKSSF Chairman Ramdas Kamath were present.