Tuesday 26 August 2008

CAUTION, MEN AT WORK - II: STORIES OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT, FROM DEMPO COLLEGE TO HERALD PUBLICATIONS


This is the concluding part of Augusto Pinto's piece on the Herald sexual harassment case. We've put up those numbers again guys, at the bottom of the post. Just heard that Herald MD Raul Fernandes is back in Goa. If you guys want to ensure a fair trial, call any of these numbers up and remind these guys about their responsibility.
PenPricks



The Herald Sexual Harassment Case:
Here Is The Connection In The Form Of A Few Comments, Predictions And Advice.

1] Like V.R.Naik, Manjunath will avoid appearing before the G.S.C.W. This puts all the burden of facing the tension of appearing before this Commission upon the victim and witnesses on her behalf.
2] If the victim is lucky, and has at least some deal of support from her colleagues, just as in the V.R.Naik case, the management may just capitulate
and agree to setting up a Vishaka Committee. The idea will not be to settle the issue, but to further buy time that way.
3] The victim in he Herald case should be ever vigilant to ensure that she or those who will testify on her behalf, do not have anything to do with any in-house enquiry committee that may be appointed - again to obfuscate matters.
They should make sure that only a properly constituted Vishaka Commiittee does the enquiry. This is all the more imperative as there sems to be prima facie another case against one of the owners of Herald.

4] The victim has to face the additional tension of dealing with a defamation case. Just as in then V.R.Naik case. This helps to scare away witnesses who do not want to have to deal with law courts. There may also be the possibility for the accused to stall matters which are going on, by claiming that the matters are sub-juidice.
This might happen if the case is dealt with by a judge who is not sufficiently well-versed with the matter.
Conclusion: The chances are great that the victim will be exhausted by all the burden she has to face and will settle out of court or even withdraw or worse still apologize.
Regards Augusto
P.S.: A couple of weeks before the Herald story broke, but almost certainly when the incidents of sexual harassment against the Herald victim had talready aken place, HCN aired a debate about, hold your breath - SEXUAL HARASSMENT - in a program called CROSSFIRE.
Pramod Salgaocar was on that programme, but so was - hold your breath - V.R.Naik. No mention was made that V.R. was indicted by the G.S.C.W. or the Dempo College Vishaka Committee.

The staff of Dempo College was incensed about this and went to protest at the Herald office. Nissar Dias was not in the office. We were put on the phone to the producer of the program, a glib talking chap called Junio D'Souza, whose defence was that he had no idea about the background of V.R.Naik!!.
This of course was nonsense, and we then went to Ashwin Tombat, who again tried to protest that he had no idea about what was happening at HCN and that he had no idea about the press note in his paper regarding the program!!
PATHETIC

(Ends)

Raul Fernandes 9822100188 (Herald MD and owner)
Oswald Fernandes 9823013308 (MD Raul's brother)
Manjunath 9822130034 (Herald GM)
Nissar 9422437029 (Editor HCN, that's where the victim was employed)
Michael 9822122304 (MD Raul's PA)
Ashwin Tombat 0832-2433373 (Herald Editor, direct line)
Ashwin Tombat 9421246332 (Herald Editor, mobile)
Herald board numbers 0091-832-2224202,2224460,2228083
Sunita 9881099260 (President Goa Union of Journalists)
Dr Pramod Salgaonkar 9822123050 (Chairperson, Goa Commission for Women)

44 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Being a women herself, don't this lady Pramod (?) Salgaokar should have taken more interest in these matters. Or she is also a miner installed to protect the interest of the affluents and the established.
Where is the Bailancho Saad, AWAAZ, BOBBALD on these issues.

27 August 2008 at 06:27  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

How V R Naik can be called as one of the experts by HCN for pannel discussion on " sexual harrassment at workplace", when he is being found guilty for sexually harrasing a lady lecturer? This was aired on HCN channel for public viewing. What message HCN is going to give to the public? Without verifying his background how did HCN invite Vaman as expert?
Dr Pramod Salgaonkar should have questioned his presence as one of the experts for panel discussion. Because the report which indicted Vaman Naik was signed by Dr. Pramod Salgaonkar herself.

27 August 2008 at 10:12  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Thanks for giving us such a comprehensive piece. Every case of sexual harassment at the workplace, and the farcical inquiries that follow will show a similar trajectory. Nothing can happen to curb this sickening practice by those in power unless we have the Act in place to punish offenders.

27 August 2008 at 16:55  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Guys You are missing something crucial here. It is TOI vs NT, Herald, GT and the rest of the jing bang. Remember Be Goan, read Goan, Feel Goan. If HCN invites a Dempo Principal on a Sexual Harassment Programme it is the usual I-scratch-your-back-you-scratch-mine. Even NT pays back by featuring Herald's Vasco reporter Tavarappa as Gen. Secy of Banjara's on front page and then J. D. Fernandes on a few pages down the edition. So much for an industry run by PR Managers.

(...............................) Even a part of the femme brigade swoons over such gynaemaniacs as Manjunath.

Sad. Goan Journalism is becoming a whore house at all levels...

(comment 'drastically' edited. Although your comment was qualitative, we had to delete the part where you mentioned names of women working in the TNT and referred to them in a slanderous way. Avoid that -- PP)

28 August 2008 at 02:04  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hey dudes i also heard that N is also sexually harassed... hehehehe...chaps where will he go, to the Mens Commision or to raul....

28 August 2008 at 02:10  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

There has beeen nothing & no action so far taken where in its visible.neither none of the publications have taken it seriously ?is this being taken for granted ? Or is some of the Authorities being bribed in that matter. Why a police complaint has not been Logged so far after Mr M 'abstained' from both the hearings in the womens commisions isnt this an Ofence this itself proves that he is & was guilty for the fact that he is a s..... .This type of cases is been happening with the female staffers in BB too but due to the female staff were of labour class they were either dismissed or blackmailed ,there are several cases like that . Will some one please investigate into this matter too Dr pramod salgaonkar & all the members please take up this matter seriously dont let him just go like that ,money power is not everything self respect & Dignity is also something..

I am a ex-staff Of BB ,many times there were cops behind Mr M & literally he had to run from the back door & was absconding for few days.

The other M whose father used to work for the fernandes group as a chamcha & now the trend is run by his son ,looks like M had promised his father that he will definately take charge of this organisation & make raul to beg & so he is doing M & Mr M is being tarring the image of the Herald publications entierly & people ,contributers ,readers & all are losing the interest in your paper its high time now you have to do somthing or else we will have to do somthing as your paper brings in the message to Goans & when your own GM level people do such nasty & Shamefull things where will the staff go & that to a bledy Ghati a migrant ? Who is he & what does he know about journalism & Goa & goans .Wack him out of the organisation rip his pants off garland him with slippers & used sanitary pads & take a morcha to his house as he stays in Verna so that his wife & shildren knows what he is ...

Dinkar ..........

(comment edited --PP)

28 August 2008 at 02:12  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

This is in response to the anger felt by the person whose incensed remark has been posted right above.
Not responding to the Women's Commission should be an offence, but unfortunately, is not. In fact the State Women's Commissions all over India have no teeth.It is a sad fact, which we must wake up to.

28 August 2008 at 14:39  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

If the so-called state Women's Commissions all over India have no teeth than the women with teeth and working/heading this useless organizations should resign from it.

29 August 2008 at 08:08  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Why are you unnecessarily attacking college principal V R Naik and mixing it with Manjunath sexual harassment case. If you are really hell bend to do that then please dig other such cases reported even in some of the goevrnment offices. Penrpcisk please take note of this.

29 August 2008 at 18:31  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Half-truths seem to be the staple of the moral minority that infects PenPricks too.
Take for example this 'PATHETIC' bit about HCN airing a programme on Sexual Harassment featuring Vaman Naik.
Why don't you tell the whole story?
Juino, who was the anchor for that programme, WAS TAKEN OFF THE AIR following the programme. Neither the programme nor Juino has featured on HCN since. I think that HCN needs to get credit for this move.
Don't you think you owe it to the PenPricks readers to tell them the whole truth and not resort to the same chicanery you accuse others of?

29 August 2008 at 19:08  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Mr/Ms Anonymous 29 August 2008 18:31
Are you a chamcha of sex maniac Waman Naik.
The sex crazy jerk needs to humiliated, criticized and tarnished whenever and wherever there is opportunity to do so.
TECHYA TONDAAK DAMBAR GHALPAK ZAI.

29 August 2008 at 22:18  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

N Manjunath ensures his Rs 75000 per month survival in Herald as its GM by acting as a kind of ponce for his boss, Raul. He was instrumental in procuring Rs 2.5 crore financial aid some time back when Herald faced dire straits with the onslaught of ToI. Conforming to his ideology that work means worshipping Raul's rear, Manjunath is now learnt to be scheming with pliable heads of departments to make staff bring out an edition on September 3, a religously important festival and therefore a pre-scheduled holiday. Manjunath and Raul do not care about mocking the religious sentiments of their workers as editions are published during other crucial occasions too.Greed for profit which does not translate into employee bonus is the motive.With such willing slaves as Michael and Manjunath, ready to bow at their master's feet, is it any wonder why no action has been and probably will never be taken against Manjunath by the Fernandes clan?

29 August 2008 at 23:56  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Two words sum up the state of womens organisations in Goa.
BAILANCHE PAAD.

30 August 2008 at 12:21  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

To annonymous 29th August 22:18.

Tuka dambar zai. Tell BJP workers who they are good in applying paints on faces. They have an art to do that.

30 August 2008 at 13:21  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Penpricks, you are wrong as far as holidays in Herald are concerned. It is now four years that Herald is bringing out issue duing holidays including Good Friday, a religiously important day for Christians. This is shocking as 90 per cent staff in Herald are Christians.

By the way Penpricks are you open on Holidays. When is your Ganesh holidays.

30 August 2008 at 13:27  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

An anagram to decode and send Raul Fernandes by SMS

KETHRDLAEHCUF

31 August 2008 at 19:11  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Was Ashwin issued a memo to reply to the Comission on behalf of Raul as he being the editor had failed to appoint the Vishaka Committee in the workplace?
What about the other newspapers, NT, Goa's ToI, GT (Dy News Editor Ashley, any Comments?) or cat got your tongue??? Ask Derek probably, he forgot to ask this Q while filing the report.
What about the vernacular papers like Gomantak (is the GUJ president Sunita in it??), Tarun Bharat, Goa Dhoot (owned by the leader of Opposition Manohar Parrikar)?
The mining lobby editions of Navprabha by the Dempos, Sunaparant and Goa Today magazine by the Salgaoncars??
Weekly Goan Observer edited by Rajan Narayan and published by his wife, TARA???
Electronic media like the Goa 365, Prudent, Goa Newsline,Goa Plus, InGoa, etc. Not forgetting HCN, ofcourse where it all started.
Do they also follow the norms??
When will someone speak about the Vishaka committees being formed??
It is ok to comment about everything except your dirty linen hiding in the closet, huh PENPRICKS???
Why not start with the hoiler-than-thou papers of Goan Observer and GT that is now controlled by the former HERALD staffer Ashley, who is like the proxy editor. He has Mayabushan assisting him in re-writing the copies though not yet appointed by the management.
Minguel Braganza and his freeesheeters, too, can be questioned whether they follow the practice for their publications as well as the Jerry Mathews controlled "HELLO Publications" in the state???
Penpricks you are now doing a good job. Keep up the great work and do expose the dirt involved in these media organisations as everyone feels you are very close to GT and probably part of it as well?????????????????

1 September 2008 at 23:53  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Penpricks why are you so late in updating this blog??
Is it coz you have nothing to write other than hit out at NT or Herald?
GUJ has failed to recognise the seriousness of the issue though there have been complaints earlier, too.
GUJ president Sunita claims that the electronic channels have not been recognised by GUj but has made no move to change the utdated GUJ constitution with photo journalists, also forming their seperate association.
Probably the association was better run with the GT Dy News Editor Ashley do Rosario heading it!!!!!
Time for Sunita to step down and make way for amore responsible leader like Vithaldas Hegde, chief reporter of GT!!

2 September 2008 at 00:00  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

'herald' management as i get to understand is been accusing others of trying to ruein their reputation . mr raul fernandes please understand all these cheap tricks do'nt work .while the victim is willing to witness ther's no point in blaming others.since you are out of country most of the time you don't know what has taken place .tyhe most you could don know is terminate mr manjunath and get back on track.if not face the consequence all of us will stop partonizing 'herald'.don it now.unless you are sheltering tne uncouth b.....d

2 September 2008 at 17:59  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Penpricks are you closed for Ganesh. Wish you Happy Ganesh Chathurthi Festival. Update this blog as people talk that you are busy in getting a job in Goa and no time to update. By the way Best of Luck.

2 September 2008 at 23:23  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hi Pen-pricks, it seems Babush Monsaratte la Taleban our great education minister is an eight-fail dud and was claiming to be an FYBA. Quite a story ah.

3 September 2008 at 09:03  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Shhhhhhhhhhhhh....

Silence Please....

Penpricks is working on a Big Blog Story.

Not Idle Like you Chappies.

Issued in Public Interest by the :

Penpricks Fan Club

3 September 2008 at 19:58  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hi PP
What happened to those Navhind Time jerks who wanted to file a case against you guys??

4 September 2008 at 09:24  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

hi penpricks
please keep us updated we are waiting to hear from you.this break of yours seems too long

5 September 2008 at 09:51  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

To Anon at 04 September 2008 09:24
Darpok Arun Sinha bhaag gaya

5 September 2008 at 11:18  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Ahva Souza resigned from TOI….

If tittle-tattle are to be believed Ahva Souza is expected to join CNN-IBN as business head.

5 September 2008 at 23:35  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Adv JOSEPH DEVA(the crow from guirim) HAS ACCEPTED THE CASE ON BEHALF OF GM- MANJUNATH. HE HAS ALRAEDY STARTED INVESTIGETING INTO THE MATTER.
JOSEPH DEVA WILL YOU BE PAID IN CASH OR ?????

7 September 2008 at 17:05  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Could you please update this frigging blog? For the past two weeks Im seeing Manjunath grinning like a jackass.

7 September 2008 at 18:50  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I agree with anonymous, 07 September 2008. Please update this blog or stop it. Don't post crab. If no matter then post about your own things.

7 September 2008 at 20:25  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Who is Ahva Souza ?

8 September 2008 at 09:35  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

To anonymous 07 September 2008. 17.05.
What is your problem if Adv Joseph Deva appears for Manjunath. So many good lawyers in the past have appeared for the accused. For example, Ram Jethmalani. If you fear Adv Deva then please engage best lawyers like Adv Menino Teles to defend the victim.

8 September 2008 at 11:30  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

What's up, PP? Do you expect Ganpati Bappa to set things right and punish the rascals during the festive season?

8 September 2008 at 15:26  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Please don't bother PP folks, as they are appearing for job interviews and getting rejected left, right and centre. It's a sad & hard time for them. So many comments on the blog but no paisa in the bank. Only if they were busy building their resume all this while instead of tearing others' down.
And how did the realization dawn on them???? No free modaks on Ganpati. Guys, work hard for your own dabba just like other humble souls.

9 September 2008 at 11:12  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

To Anon at 09 September 2008 11:12
At least Penpricks had the guts to take on the might of, what was until now, referred to as holy cows. This blog has shown some
Na(la)yak's their place. Isn't that good enough Sir?

9 September 2008 at 13:26  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

A person is, as per Indian law, innocent until proven otherwise.

Anybody can make allegations against anyone.

You cannot start with a negative hypothesis. For example, you cannot prove that you have not committed murder. To prove that, someone will have to accompany you all the time.

The truth is the truth even if nobody believes it and a lie is a lie even if everybody believes it.

The Constitution of India envisages a Judicial System. Let the evidence be examined in a court of law. Public opinion has no correlation with evidence and conclusive proof.

All Indians are my brothers and sisters. I desire Constitutionally valid natural justice for all Indians.

10 September 2008 at 01:15  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

It appears the comments dt. 10th Sept. 2008 01:15 is certainly from the chamacha of Mr. Manjunath, GM, Herald since he is only the person who knows that Mr. Manjunath has said SORRY to that resigned girl from HCN in the office of Women Council on 9th September 2008.It is proved that Mr. Manjunath has admitted all the allegation made against him by that girl. WHAT NEXT ACTION SHALL BE TAKEN AGAINST MR. MANJUNATH. OR HE WILL BE LEFT LIKE THIS ONLY SO THAT HE WILL MASTER HIMSELF IN SUCH SEXTUAL HARRASEMENT OF WOMEN STAFFS.
A small note to the chamacha of Mr. Manjunath that Lord Jesus will not pardon him since he is involved in many employees illegal resignation of BIG BOX AND HERALD. After BIG BOX is taken away from Mr. Manjunath and Mr. Michael(Ch....ha) and handed over to Q-Boy owner, BIG BOX is really doing well and on the path ofits olden days.

So it is set back to Mr. Manjunath and his chamacha Mr. Michael. God will never pardon you both. There will be definetely a very bad end to both of you.

10 September 2008 at 10:08  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

sorry is not to be accepted.he needs to be punished.manjunath needs to be punished and let him pay one crore rupees as demanded by him earlier.mr raul is sheltering this man.you men at the harald watch out thank yiu is not enough.let big box go to q boy owner or to hell we are not bothered we need justice

10 September 2008 at 16:26  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

To anon 09 September 2008; 13.26.
Do you think that Penpricks had the guts to take on the might. If that is case then why is he scared from coming out in the open. He is acting like a Darpok, you Na (la)yak.

11 September 2008 at 14:04  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Snake in the grass
The only editorial staffer to have an advertisement agency in Goa and possibly India has finally done it again. J a high ranking staffer of the (edited) Herald has managed to get rid of his worst enemy, Francis Ribeiro (Sports Editor) sacked. It remains to be seen whether Jovito Lopes from Navhind Times stands up to the snake or whether the snake's old ally Anthony Marcus Mergulhao returns.
Nowhere in the world is an individual with control over editorial content allowed to run a personal advertisement agency for obvious reasons. But here in Goa J juggles both, robbing the Herald while Raul Fernandes is away in the Philipines.

Everything he does is with Digital in mind and heart. He is also corrupt and conniving, always working towards promoting mediocrity in the Herald, so that he can survive with the least effort or commitment towards the Herald. He works hardest to eliminate those capable of delivering quality better than himself, in fact it is the only time he works.
The functioning of the Herald under the J's regime.
Those who want a promotion need only to give him a few advertisements. Ask Sergio Caldeira, Roger Figueiredo, Erol Jorge.
If he feels threatened by the performance by any other department in the Herald, J deploys the divide and rule policy. Ask Francis Ribeiro, Suraj Nandrekar and Anthony Marcus. If the department is still functioning better than he wants them to, he dumps a few incapable hands to drag the department down.
(edited)
J's machinations went to the extent that he could even get rid of a former HRD Manager Gaonkar who along with Ashwin Tombat was doing his job by questioning how many hours of work he puts in and the nature of work he should be doing. Pick any issue of the Herald and you wont need any more evidence. The language appearing in the paper, quality of editing, layouts apart from the numerous mistakes says it all.
Eerybody knows that J hardly works, just comes there and sits at his desk with a big grin on his face. But you see, behind that grin is a snake in the grass always plotting against his next big threat. Infact Rajan Narayan told several people that J was a snake In the grass.
(comment edited -- PP)

11 September 2008 at 15:20  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Before lookin at mistakes in Herald, please read and check mistakes in Gomantak Times. There are goof ups and spelling mistakes in headings and most of the time stories are not edited. The grapevine says that new sub-editors Mr Neshween Almeida and Mr Gerald Fernandes are responsible for this. Is it not the duty of Deputy News Editor Mr Ashley Rosario to check them or he is busy enjyoing treat from Mr Neshween who manages to push his photos after the so called is met.

12 September 2008 at 12:11  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

To anon @ 10 September 2008 10:08

What court ever passes such an absurd judgement. Every person will say 'SORRY' and get away with anything?

Every citizen has the right, based on evidence,to have guilt or innocence proved.

I heard someone is launching a pre-election, familiarisation campaign tomorrow. Newspapers have to be won over you see. Penpricks has in the past written extensively about election time plugs. Do you get it man?

Some(all?) journos have been invited at the Fidalgo Hotel.

If you still can't figure out who I'm talking about, then ask a fellow journo. Better still, ask a voter of Mapusa :)

12 September 2008 at 22:12  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

penpricks we are not interested as to who is transfered at the herald?who gives advertisments to which company.coming to the point lets not discuss all the others.we are interested as to what has happened to the victim ?when is the next hearing and the way manjunath needs to be punished.let anybody rob at the herald what's our problem because boss is not bothered he's supposed to be squandering money on women and gambling in the pillipines while others make merry.if he was a least bit concerned he would have taken necessary action.for this the answer is just stop reading herald

13 September 2008 at 22:37  
Blogger augusto pinto said...

Hi penpricks

I think it is a pity that the Gomantak Times report of September 11, on page 3, 'Sexual Harassment Case Amicably Settled: GSWC - Herald GM tenders apology, victim accepts it' has not been more widely publicised by other newspapers.

Apparently after a 2 hour conversation, the GM of Herald tendered a written apology to the victim It seems that he said that he was not sexually attracted to her, and was happy with his married life, and that he treated her like his own daughter, and that he would try to get her reinstated in the same organisation.

Fine. I am happy for the victim for it is no joke trying to fight out these cases.

However one problem remains - has a Vishaka Committee been installed in Herald and other newspaper and media organisations? Because after some time, after the Herald case is forgotten, this same problem will resurface will it not? And then will we have to reinvent the wheel?

Augusto

14 September 2008 at 15:49  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Right, Augusto
What about the Vishaka committee to be formed in all media organisations in Goa???
Have they been formed?
Calling upon dynamic GUJ president Sunita to look into this important issue concerning her fairs ex colleagues. All the best, Suhasini P.
GARY

14 September 2008 at 22:17  

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