Looking Glass 6

Dateline Oct 22, 2005

Hear nuttin, Speak nuttin, Sinna nuttin

The allegation that a "senior journalist" molested an 11 year old girl is over a week old. Even so, Heraldo, the "only Goan" newspaper in Goa has yet to make a serious mention of this incident.

Is it because the folks at the Heraldo have yet to hear about the incident? or is it because the little child labourer is from the poor Indian State of Bihar? Molestation apart, is it legal in Goa for anyone to make a young child labour as a servant? Is child labour the only way Goa plans to reduce child hunger? By breaking the Law ?

Why has the Heraldo remained essentially silent about the incident? Does the  Heraldo believe that an allegation of child abuse is not very important?, or that Child Labour is OK because everybody in Goa needs a hungry little Bihari girl as a servant?

Has some big wig at the Heraldo blacked out any investigation of this story? if so, Why?

TGF understands that in Communist and Fascist times (the Salazar era included), news was carefully orchestrated. There was only so much that one was allowed to know, the rest was perhaps bad for one's health, and hence replaced by fluff and spin.

Of all the Goa newspapers, TGF did not expect the Heraldo to be this nostalgic of the Salazarist times. There were many good things that Goans enjoyed during the Portuguese times. Censorship and mind choreography  were NOT among them.

Even the Navhind Times famed for sitting on the fence, on matters of critical importance to Goa, printed the story which actually relates to one of their own "senior journalists". That the paper put its own damper spin on the story is another matter.

But at the Heraldo ? No real Nooj at all! ( see update at foot of this article )

TGF did not expect any Goan newspaper to put a higher premium on being upfront with its readers as opposed to protecting its own "senior journalist".  And NO reasonable Goan should expect that to happen.  After all, the Goa Press is owned by vested interests. For years they have done the "salsa" on Goan minds while PRIMARILY PROTECTING their  own financial interests. The OWNERS always supported the ones in  power, their own and themselves. It happened during the colonial Portuguese regime, and it has continued with the new Indian masters.

On the flip side of the coin are some journalists and news outlets who printed the name of the "senior journalist" involved. One particular Goan writer went on to congratulate the news outlets who 'outed' the name of the "senior journalist", by awarding verbal plaques of testicular fortitude to the "brave" news outlets.

Is the 'outing of the name' a fair thing to have done?

What if the allegation is untrue? Where does the concerned 'senior journalist" go to regain his reputation?

Having said that, TGF wonders what the newspapers would have done IF the accused was NOT a person of means or power. Would the newspapers
have applied the same consideration to the common man as they now  appear to be applying to one of their own? What would they do to a politician the Goa-journos did not like?

To add to the boiling pot is the allegation made by Mr. Rajan Narayan of the Goan Observer. He allegedly was led to "understand that Goa DIG Ujwal Mishra, was summoned by the Home Minister, Chief Minister Pratapsing Rane, and told not to oppose the application for anticipatory bail moved by the accused senior journalist".

If this is true, Mr. DIG Ujwal Mishra needs to protest at this political interference in his work. If that gets him nowhere, he should resign from his post.

If he does not, he will certainly join the Heraldo chaps in saying: hey, I Hear nuttin, Speak nuttin, Sinna nuttin.

Hence, I sittin here on de fence, doin nuttin!

TGF
Oct 22, 2005

Click here to view a copy of The Goa Children’s Act, 2003

TGF's reservations about  The Goa Children’s Act, 2003