“The ‘haves’ among the Konkani community should come forward to uplift the ‘have-nots’ and bring them to the mainstream,” Minister for Tourism R.V. Deshpande has said. He was participating in the valedictory function of the three-day national Konkani convention here on Sunday. A number of Konkani speaking people were in the forefront in the fields of literature, banking, education, politics and commerce and technology and a large number of people from the community were socially and economically backward, he said.
Writer Jayant Kaikini said we should strive to preserve the uniqueness of Konkani language and culture.
Writer Sha.Mum. Krishnarao, who chaired the convention, said that we should save Konkani and at the same time respect Kannada. One should not forget that Karnataka gave shelter to Konkani community who fled Goa following the atrocities of the Portuguese, he said.
