JOURNALISTS AND THEIR PSYCHEDELIC HALOS
Sure this post took eight years coming. Too bad the book, whose excerpts we have quoted from, was only published in the year 2007 or something.In a way, this story is a logical extension of the series of posts which we put up following Preetu Nair's startling observation. Here's what Preetu had stated in her response to Miguel Braganza.
"Fortunately, readers are quick to realize that much of what goes on in the tourist paradise of Goa goes unreported because a few local journos and their editors play host to the corrupt system."
We wonder now if Arun Saldanha's book Psychedelic White -- Goa Trance and the Viscosity of Race puts Preetu's comment in perspective.
So what does Arun Saldanha say...
Saldanha draws a line between "the abrupt demolition of Goa2000 by an army of cops and thugs was great news for Dolce Vita, Bamboo Forest and Hilltop."
The author states that Dolce Vita was run by Roy Fernandes. (Roy, some of you guys may know, is former minister Fatima De Sa's PA, who was sentenced to life by a lower court on a murder charge... dunno the status of that case now. Roy, incidentally is a wonderfully resourceful chap along the coast in North Goa. You'd be amazed. He can get you exotic varieties of 'mushrooms' in middle of winter, get you nice scented sort of dry grass even in the middle of monsoons. If you want some of those deliciously intoxicating cookies or a non liquified form of Cola, Roy's one of those guys who can get it for you)
Next, the author also tells the reader that Roy is in fact a cousin to journo Peter D'Souza of Gomantak Times, who had started a 'crusade' against Jeh Wadia's Goa2000 mega rave, which was set to corner the rave and its allied notorious businesses, which Roy had set his sights on, during that heady season of 2000.
While Saldanha has diligently added Peter's denial of the 'purported favor', he does not deny the surge in the economics of Roy's various businesses, which followed his cousin Peter's 'crusade' against Goa2000 on grounds of environment and morality.
We wonder if this is the kind of thing Preetu was referring to, when she alleged that media-persons play host to a corrupt system?
Hmmmm you tell us guys comeon... Preetu also claims that "readers are quick to realise". Maybe she knows best. After all, she's shared bylines with Peter De Souza on several award-winning stories... Hope you're quick to realise that too fellas.
posted by Pen Pricks at
15:41
13 Comments:
Small fish eating big fish!!
Vow, must be a piranah!!!!!!
Hey, not a very great revelation by Arun Saldanha. Just that his conclusions are spot on!!
Herald had published a front page report on similar lines in Jan 2000!
There's one thing though that has gone unreported... that the ultimate beneficiary of the entire bust Goa2000 campaign has been Nandan Kudchadkar, the official pimp of the then CM Francisco Sardinha and comrade-in-arms of Roy, Peter and gang in the anti-Jeh Wadia campaign.
Nandan has been running Paraiso de Anjuna since the season of 2000!
Hey, not a very great revelation by Arun Saldanha. Just that his conclusions are spot on!!
Herald had published a front page report on similar lines in Jan 2000!
There's one thing though that has gone unreported... that the ultimate beneficiary of the entire bust Goa2000 campaign has been Nandan Kudchadkar, the official pimp of the then CM Francisco Sardinha and comrade-in-arms of Roy, Peter and gang in the anti-Jeh Wadia campaign.
Nandan has been running Paraiso de Anjuna since the season of 2000!
Don't blame Preetu for this, She was be ignorant of these facts because she was not in Goa in 2000 She started as a full-fledged reporter for GT only as late as in 2004.
To anon 05 May 2008 12:10
I agree to him. If Preetu was aware of these happenings she would have never commented that `readers are quick to realise' because both have shared bylines in GT for stories dug by Peter D'Souza and composed by Preetu.
tell us something we don't know!.... so much for the hype created over an upcoming expose!
To annon 05 May 2008 12:10
Preetu may be a fresh journo in Goa. But today within a span of four yearsshe managed to become the special correspondent of TOI only because of the stories she wrote with the help of Peter De Souza, who was sidelined.
Am looking forward to the first issue of TOI Goa tomorrow. Going by the buzz at the newsagents in Panjim, Porvorim and Saligao, TOi will be making a huge entry. The TOI sms campaign to its subscribers shows a good CRM initiative. My sympathies lie with rabid weekly editors who have changed colours like our MLAs:-)
To anon at 06 May 2008 12:23
Just to add to your comment.... Preetu Nair was egged on by vocal and editorial support by a biased former GT editor Sujay Gupta. Peter, Goans always end up on the losing side. Don't they? BTW, Preetu is a Principal Correspondent at TOI, not a Special Correspondent. The latter is equivalent to the News Editor's post.
Preetu Nair was amazing at GT, wasn't she?
Amazing because she went to Pernem at the height of the pro-Mopa airport agitation and filed a story giving vital insight into the aspirations of a Pernem woman. Preetu wrote then: " This woman from Pernem wants to sell batatawadas at Mopa airport once it is commissioned.
Surprising isn't it? Preetu could understand Pernem Konkani lingo when a majority of 'Niz Goenkar' struggle with it. Sandesh(BHAI) Prabhudesai, are you listening?
Minguel(MOG ASUNDI) Braganza, where are you boss? Your friend Preetu Nair is under attack.
To annon 06 May 2008 12:23
I fully agree that Preetu Nair was egged on by vocal and editorial support by a biased former GT editor Sujay Gupta. It was Gupta who rewrote her stories most of time while both were in GT. It was an open secret in GT.
To Anon at 07 May 2008 00:06
Permit me to add more on the same issue. Jyoti Dhond of 'Goa Doot' will vouch for this. Furious after Sujay Gupta tampered with her story, a fuming Jyoti had barged into Director Editor(Sakaal) Anand Agashe's cabin(he was then holding charge as Editor Gomantak)in protest against Sujay's action. It was only after Agashe mollified her that she had resumed filing her stories. Sujay was seen covering in fear after being pulled up by Agashe in response to Jyoti's complaint. Sadly, that was the last of Jyoti in GT as she resigned to launch her baby Goa Doot. And yes, you are right. Everybody in GT was aware of Sujay's biased reports - a trait Preetu Nair seems to have picked up with amazing speed and honed with finesse.
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