Spotlight on tiatr as MLAs call for Unesco tag for drama form

Porvorim: The House witnessed spirited exchanges of political barbs on Friday as a resolution seeking Unesco recognition for tiatr led to some lighter moments. Curtorim MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco moved a private member’s resolution urging govt to formally recognise tiatr, a theatre art form, as worthy of Unesco’s Representative List of Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Chief minister Pramod Sawant responded by announcing that a state-level coordination committee was formed to prepare the nomination dossier.The discussion took an interesting turn when the opposition leader Yuri Alemao took the floor. While praising tiatr as “a living and breathing expression of Goa’s identity,” Alemao took a jibe at Lourenco, an independent MLA supporting BJP. “Tiatr and Romi Konkani are inseparable,” said Alemao. “The tiatr stage is breathing through Romi Konkani. To advocate for tiatr without standing up for Romi Konkani is like supporting the body without a soul.”The dig was aimed at Lourenco for not supporting a private member’s resolution by Congress MLA Carlos Ferreira on introducing Roman Konkani in school curricula. “Those who do not desire to stand before Goa govt to recognise Konkani’s diversity want to stand before Unesco,” Alemao said.Lourenco retorted, pointing out that the previous Congress govt, despite having a full majority, failed to champion the cause of Romi Konkani, earning applause from the treasury benches.As Alemao’s jibe seemed to include former chief minister Digambar Kamat, who switched from Congress to BJP, Kamat promptly defended his record. He said that during his tenure as chief minister, the auditorium at Ravindra Bhavan, Margao, was named after ‘Pai Tiatrist’, even as Lourenco pointed out that he raised the issue of Romi Konkani with successive govts.This prompted Sawant to deliver a perfectly timed punchline. He quoted a popular Marathi saying, “Sonareanech kan tochave”— essentially meaning “Only the right person should point fingers”.Despite the political posturing, the resolution found support across party lines. Sawant assured the House that his govt would “sincerely try to get Unesco recognition” and would “consider all factors” raised by the MLAs.