Expressing apprehensions over preference of English over Konkani, Fr Mousinho Ataide, who is attached to Rachol Seminary, 80 kms away from here, says "supporting English in primary education would result in ceasing of church services in Konkani as younger parishioners will not understand the local languages".
Incidentally, the 61-year-old priest had rubbed his shoulders with the leaders affiliated to organisations like Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) last year when the medium of instruction (MOI) controversy raised its head under the erstwhile Digambar Kamat government.
Fr Ataide's stand has surprised the institutions like the Diocesan Society of Education and Archdiocesan Board of Education that hail English as the MoI over Konkani for elementary education.
"Who will learn amchi bhaas (our language i.E Konkani) if English education is funded by the state government? Next generation will not even be able to talk in Konkani. If the church services will be held in English, the young parishioners will understand only that language and not Konkani....It will be anglicization of the Church," he told PTI.
Likening the move in support of English as MOI to the incident in 1680 A.D, the priest said the then church authorities had also tried to impose upon the people to abandon Konkani and learn Portuguese.
"The attempt of 1680 failed as people continued with Konkani," he recalled. (More)