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It was indeed a month and fortnight (since 1st October, 2008) long issue
branded as " Rape saga " by the "devanagari Konkani protoganist" lobby
controlled multilingual Prudent Media a Cable network (visual media) with both
ex Sunaparant editor Mr Sandesh Prabhudessai and ex MPT Chairman (retd) turned
senior citizen activist doing the "honours" -----Their news and views
interestingly initally earned the curiosity of the viewers as events unfurled
in the story -- an interesting emotive and heart throbbing sensational "Crime
thriller" but later bored the citizens as it was turning into one of those
never ending "soap operas" as on the national networks of the visual media.
The print media too did not lag behind as they gave extensive coverage in
tandem with the Prudent Media cable network for it had billed the events as
"breaking news" almost 24 hours of the day and Top stories -- not forgetting
the "exclusive" interviews for successive days on end added for good measure.
The"enfante terrible " this time round was none other than Rohit the 21 year
old son of Minister of Education Mr Antansio (Babush ) Monserate . It is
alleged that he had indeed "raped" a "minor " German girl presently residing
in Saligao Bardez Goa with her researcher mother.
The nature of crime committed if established would easily end up as a
cognizable offence with penal action of imprisonment.
In the earlier incident following the 19th February, 2008 storming of the
Panaji Police Station by Minister of Education Mr Antansio (Babush ) Monserate
MLA Taleigao Goa Legislative Assembly, for the alleged - treatment by police
meted out to his supporter ( involved in the Cidade de Goa Resort -Casino
incident )issue his innocent younger son Amit 18 and his friend faced the
gruesome brunt of the Panaji Police .
That incident caused shock waves of sympathy and compassion among the citizens
especially woman and youth when the footage of young Amit being trashed
mercilessly by the police was displayed to a well meaning audience by none
other than the present legal counsel of the Gernman lady Adv Aires Rodrigues a
firebrand activist .
Not to let the incident be covered under wraps this writer too moved by the
visuals screened at the Institute Menzes Braganza Hall Panaji petitioned the
National Human Rights commission New Delhi over the excesses committed on the
unfortunate minor. They took notice and directed the Director General of Police
to investigate into the matter. Not only that, they agreed to have a cell of
the NHRC in Goa following a demand made to that effect by this writer.
In the instant case of alleged rape of a German teenaged minor resident of
Saligao Bardez Goa by Rohit Monserate 21, son of Antanasio (Babush) Monserate
Minister for Education Govt of Goa and stray allegations that yet another youth
Warren Alemao the nephew of Mr Churchill and Mr. Joaquim Alemao Ministers of
PWD and Urban Development was involved ; besides unconfirmed allegations that
even the son of ex Minister of Law Mr Francisco D'Souza MLA MHapsa was
involved, turned out to be a politico legal case and hence the undue publicity
and rave reviews.
According to several citizens who spoke to this writer and offered their
comments on the issue, over the month long episode they were of the view that
a) the issue appears basically of a mother (a foreign national ) whose
daughter was known to the youth who eventually allegedly raped her --that he
happened to be the son of a Minister in the ruling dispensation and who was a
prominent "powerful" politico was another matter
b) having given the brief to the "best" legal counsel it ought to have been
dealt with as a legal practitioner would have done in several similar cases:
c) the case should not have been discussed publicly much less in the visual
media or given undue publicity as it was purely a client dealing with a legal
practitioner and not an NGO
d) if at all the issue was made public it ought to have done only after the
accused earning a conviction for his or her act;
e) it was not proper for the legal cousel to use the NGO of which he is a
spokesman to settle scores if any with the accused or his relations
f) it was all the more shocking that the "Prudent media " showed over
enthusiasm to pursue the case and earn a deservedly or undeserving conviction
at any costs of the young Rohit just because he happened to be the son of the
Minister of Education Mr Antanasio Monserate who indeed had been in the eye of
several storms outside and within the realm of politics. To reaffirm this
contention they cited the instance where both the officials of Prudent media
also attended and addressed the public gathering on the same issue.
g) in conclusion they felt that a child going wayward despite the best parental
care and caution could be the case of any parent which is not a rarity in the
present times
In conclusion what indeed is condemnable is that in the verbal war of words
and actions an unsucessful attempt was made by one to silence forever the other
by what is billed clearly as a murderous attempt.
With the client and the legal counsel parting ways thus removing the grain
(legal case) from the chaff (the political angle) to make the issue an unhappy
ending; those having clandestine designs in the news and visual media who tried
unsuccessfully to "cut to size " the Minister for Education by now almost
tormentising the entire Monseratte family the case will end as an "A" final
case in the police records just like several other cases of the "aam aadmi" who
are victims of rape by the powerful and mighty, but suffer the humiliation in
the confines of their homes while the tormentors move around happily.
The morale of the story politicians and coomon man are a separate breed just
as lawyers and policemen are and the two ought not to mix-up.
GODFREY J. I. GONSALVES,
BORDA, MARGAO, 403 602, GOA. (INDIA)
+91 98221 58584 (24 HRS)
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
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