The two boys who were acquitted on merits from the charge of alleged gang rape[ G-rape] of a Goa College of Art student somehow remain the ACCUSED in the minds of many journalists, sub-editors and Editors. They have been ACQUITTED and honourably discharged from the malicious accusation of a influential European music teacher. The medical report of a single doctor, a medical board constituted at GMC, Central Forensic Laboratory as well as the considered judgement of the Additional District and Sessions Judge say that the accused boys were NOT GUILTY. It is not a question of male chauvinism, the Judge and the head of the Medical Board were both respectable women, well qualified in their respective fields. The public image, created by the local media hype, is that the boys were somehow guilty...as one journo put it "of at least molesting the girl."
The two boys who were acquitted recently.... and three other of their former college mates and fellow accused who were let off a year earlier without framing charges...held a press conference at Hotel Nova Goa yesterday. Anyone who reads the newspapers today would safely conclude that it was to no avail. Navhind Times page 3 Col1 & 2 has a one-and half column heading "Gang rape case: six acquitted" Bullshit! Only two persons were charged, how can six be acquitted? If a reporter can file such a report when a copy of the judgement is in his hands, he needs his eyes and brains to be checked. Where is the truth. The report is a hangover of the past, not a reportage of the truth. Thankfully it carries the truth in para 2 and 3. The Gomantak Times Weekender [also on page three has a report entitled "Accused to file defamation case" . Who is ACCUSED today? The two boys have been ACQUITTED earlier this week. The accusation stands nullified. The boys only said that they are taking legal opinion on defamation proceedings. It was not the main thrust of the Press conference. The thrust was on RESPONSIBLE REPORTING. the journos have conveniently missed this point. It is inconvenient. Thankfully, the report includes the following words at the end of the middle para " the defendents have been acquitted cleanly and clearly, not even on the benefit of doubt basis". The last para is a quote from the judgement of Ms Justice Bimba K.Thali which is a damning indictment of the Goa Police. The oHERALDo carries the report on page 5 but much more prominently than the two newspapers named above. It is also factually more accurate. It tells about the so called "victim" girl holding exhibition of her paintings and appearing at social events not NOT appearing in court to give evidence against the two boys languished in jail because of her mother's complaint that she was gang raped. Attempts by the prosecution were met with the stock reply that she was not in a psychological position to appear in public, movies and exhibitions excluded! The vernacular press has reported the issue with a greater level of honesty and accuracy. The "Tarun Bharat" [Marathi] report on page 7 says it all so succintly. Perhaps the English press could learn a few things from their vernacular cousins. It is a pity that many of the policy makers cannot read in Devnagiri script, whether in Konkani or Marathi. They miss the details that the English press does not carry, often intentionally. The truth is often not glamourous and sometimes even inconvenient to report. The PRESS in Goa needs to learn about restraint. Recently at least one newspaper sensationalised Aplonia's false accusation that her in-laws had helped her murder their own daughter, Perpet, in Nachinola. The cops dumped the aged parents in jail for a few days and only then discovered that they had been had. No apologies. The corrigendum goes to page 4, unnoticed by many who had read the front page allegation. RESPONSIBLE journalism is for the classroooms. It is a jungle out there to boost circulation...at any cost to the individual's reputation. Time to file defamation suits against newspapers. The journalists do not have "good faith" protection like government servants..or do they? Time to put it to the legal test, and deliver us from all evil that the newspapers print. Viva Goa. Miguel
