Yesterday was International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Drug Trafficking. Did anyone see any report or article on the issue in Herald? At least I did not see anything in this regard. A similar blank was witnessed on World Environment Day. While other English newspapers did publish some news, the Herald which is widely read by the Catholics of Salcette, Ilhas and Bardez has not published the press release from the Council of Social Justice and Peace. Reports also reveal that priest transfers in the month of May which used to be a feature in Herald were ommitted this time while Navhind Times carried the news. There is a growing feeling that Herald is playing a hide and seek game to keep the catholic readers ignorant and in the dark about some uncomfortable facts and the larger reality that exposes the system. If one observes closely, while pretending to support English medium it has been giving undue coverage to the BBSM agitation and it appears that those for English medium (predominantly christian) are being systematically pitted against konkani-marathi protagonists to polarise the political atmosphere in the State for the coming elections. There is all reason to suspect a political conspiracy hatched by the mining mafia and politicians to puzzle the christian voters in the State. A mining firm PR person known to be hostile to activists now as Editor for what? The Navhind Times appears to have improved it's reporting on local issues considerably. If this continues the christian readership will have to consider moving away from Herald to other English newspapers. I am told that the shift is already taking place in some areas of Salcette. This would be the most unfortunate thing to happen, but Goans will have to take the hard decision to protect Herald. Foregoing their xit coddi newspaper in the morning for saving Goa. If not, it looks like Herald is slipping into the controls of the mining, real estate and industry cartel in the State.
-Soter D.
