Curbing ANY artistic expression is a crime. In every country in the world, politicians are openly attacked in all media. We are a democracy and if these psychopancy obsessed politicians can't take the brickbats, stay home and refrain from a public arena. W
Sent from my iPad Wendell Rodricks, Campal, Panjim. GOA 403001. INDIA Off tel: +91-832-2420604, Shop tel: +91-832-2238177 Off email: rns.wend...@gmail.com On 14-Aug-2013, at 12:01 PM, Goanet Reader <goanetrea...@gmail.com> wrote: > It is a well-planned conspiracy to stifle voices of > tiatrists: Mariano Fernandes > TNN | Aug 13, 2013, 03.34 AM IST > > MARGAO: "It's a well-planned conspiracy aimed at > stifling the voice of the tiatrists. In my tiatr I > have portrayed the ills of the government and its > policies and that has not gone down well with a > section of politicians. And with the kind of good > response the tiatr is receiving from the tiatr > lovers, they are afraid that my tiatr will cause > damage to their political prospects ahead of the > Loksabha elections." > > This was how Mariano Fernandes, director of the tiatr "Apunn > Apleak Dev Somestank" in which Francis de Tuem is alleged to > have made some derogatory comments against the Nuvem MLA > Francisco "Mickky" Pacheco that led to the singer's arrest, > reacted to the police action against the 'kantarist.' Francis > de Tuem has been released on bail by the local court. > > "Else how would you explain the haste in which Francis de > Tuem was arrested simply based on a complaint that he made a > phone call demanding money? Did the police track his call > records before arresting him? Will the cops show such prompt > action while dealing with complaints of the common man?" a > visibly upset Fernandes demanded to know. > > This view is shared by another well-known tiatr > directior, Rio Menezes, who feels that the way > Francis de Tuem was arrested was not appropriate. > "They should have followed the normal legal course > of action. We are in a democratic country and > everybody has a right to express oneself. There > are hundreds of media of political satire across > the world and tiatr is one among them. And > everybody here knows one's limits. In my tiatrs, I > ensure that the limits are not breached," Menezes > said. > > Extolling the virtues of the triatrists and the glorious > history of the theatre-art form, Fernandes said that the > contribution of tiatr in protecting Goa's identity was > "immense." > > "Criticizing the politicians, highlighting the faults in the > system of governance, and pointing out the pitfalls in the > social arena are the strengths of a good tiatr. Even during > the Portuguese regime, tiatrists had displayed commendable > courage in hitting out against the oppression and harassment > meted out to freedom fighters, despite there being severe > restrictions in freedom of expression. Through the medium of > tiatr we try to educate the people, particularly the less > literate who may not have access to newspapers, about the > state of affairs of the government," Fernandes said. > > Sources in the know, however, pointed out that the > controversy surrounding Tuem's arrest was remotely connected > with the contents of the tiatr or the song which he sang on > the stage. "Mickky, of late, has been critical of tiatrists. > And when Tuem, while speaking on the tiatr stage - and not as > a part of the tiatr or his role in it - made some satirical > comments, Mickky took umbrage at it," a source among the > tiatrists fraternity told TOI. > > Former president of Tiatr Academy of Goa, Tomazinho > Cardozo, underscored the need for tiatrists to > observe restraint while criticizing others. "One > should bear in mind that whatever he says doesn't > infringe the right of the others. The right to > free speech and expression should be exercised by > keeping within the limits. Hitting somebody below > the belt, targeting politicians' family members or > their personal lives is bad. It brings down the > standard of the tiatr," Cardozo told TOI. > > http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/It-is-a-well-planned-conspiracy-to-stifle-voices-of-tiatrists-Mariano-Fernandes/articleshow/21791080.cms > > > * * * > > If I'm guilty, I'll quit tiatrs, says Francis > TNN Aug 11, 2013, 02.20AM IST > > MARGAO/VERNA: Judicial magistrate first class (JMFC) granted > bail to tiatrist and singer Francis de Tuem in connection > with a complaint lodged by Nuvem MLA Francisco 'Mickky' > Pacheco on Saturday. > > JMFC Margao directed the Verna police on Saturday to release > Francis on furnishing a bond of 10,000 as surety and directed > him to report to the police station on Sunday for further > investigation. > > The arrest of Francis has been widely condemned by > the tiatr fraternity with fellow artistes making > their presence felt at the Verna police station to > express their solidarity with the tiatrist when he > was released. The arrest has sent shockwaves > across the tiatr community, as Francis is known for > his songs which are rich in political satire. > > Francis claimed that if the charges levelled against him can > be proved, then he would leave tiatr; if not Nuvem MLA > Pacheco should quit politics. He further alleged that he was > threatened by Pacheco at the police station on Friday night. > > Pacheco lodged a complaint that Francis de Tuem made > derogatory remarks against him and his children while > speaking at Mariano Fernandes' 'Apunn Apleak Dev Somestank' > tiatr at Ravindra Bhavan on Thursday. Pacheco later lodged a > complaint against Francis, accusing the tiatrist of calling > him up on Thursday morning and demanding 10 lakh from him, a > demand if he failed to pay up, would make him face the > consequences. Police have maintained that they arrested > Francis on charges of extortion and defamation as the accused > made some derogatory and offensive remarks against Pacheco > and his personal life in his speech during the tiatr. > > A police official said, "Francis has confessed to calling > Pacheco on Thursday but denied the extortion charges." > Francis' phone has been attached by Verna police. > > http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-08-11/goa/41294216_1_tiatr-police-station-verna-police > > > * * * > > Mickky scapegoat for CM to silence critics: NCP > TNN | Aug 13, 2013, 03.21 AM IST > > PANAJI: Asserting that there's much more than what meets the > eye over the arrest of tiatrist Francis de Tuem, Nationalist > Congress Party alleged that the government's intention was to > send a message of intimidation to all forums criticizing it. > > Addressing mediapersons, party's chief spokesman Trajano > D'Mello said, "Our party strongly believes that expression of > speech should have some limits, but we question the charge of > extortion under which the singer was arrested. He could not > be arrested for defamation. As per our knowledge, the > authority concerned had informed the home minister about the > complaint and it is very well known that the singer is a > harsh critic of the chief minister." > > Stating that normally a procedure is followed which > takes time, D'Mello said in this case, the singer > was picked up from the place where he was about to > perform on the same day. It is clear that the CM > is trying to silence his opponents and is painting > Pacheco as the black sheep. D'Mello said that the > act was an assault on democracy or any law abiding > citizen of the state. > > NCP has condemned BJP spokesperson Wilfred Mesquita's > statements that the government has no problem with dance bars > in Goa. Reacting to the controversy over the new offshore > casino, D'Mello said it is to be seen what explanation the CM > minister will give over granting permission to the new, > bigger vessel in the River Mandovi. tnn > > http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/Mickky-scapegoat-for-CM-to-silence-critics-NCP/articleshow/21790875.cms > > * * * > > Francis de Tuem in Mickky's complaint, held > TNN Aug 10, 2013, 01.53AM IST > > MARGAO/VASCO: While a packed hall was watching Roseferns' > tiatr 'Que Sera Sera ... Zaumchem Zatelem', at Ravindra > Bhavan, Margao, on Friday afternoon, there was high drama > taking place outside the gates of the theatre complex. > > As tiatrist Francis de Tuem was hurriedly walking > towards the hall to be in time for his performance > in the tiatr, cops in civilian clothes were waiting > for him. He was arrested by the Verna police on > charges of extortion and defamation, based on a > complaint filed by Nuvem MLA Francisco 'Mickky' > Pacheco. The tiatrist has been booked under IPC > Sections 384 (extortion) and 500 (defamation). Ads > by Google > > Verna PI Rajesh Kumar, when contacted, told TOI that Pacheco > lodged a complaint that Francis de Tuem made derogatory > remarks against him and his children while speaking during > Mariano Fernandes' 'Apunn Apleak Dev Somestank' at Ravindra > Bhavan on Thursday. Pacheco has also filed a complaint > against Fernandes. > > "Mickky said in his complaint that Francis de Tuem called him > up on Thursday morning and demanded 10 lakh from him and that > if he failed to pay up he would have to face the > consequences. As he made some derogatory and offensive > remarks against Mickky and his personal life in his speech > during the tiatr, we arrested him on charges of extortion and > defamation," said Kumar. > > Roseferns, speaking to TOI late Friday night, said > that Francis de Tuem's arrest was uncalled for, as > targeting politicians in songs and tiatrs was every > tiatrist's forte. "He is a popular political > singer. Why only Mickky, he has sung satirical > songs on various politicians, including Churchill > Alemao and even chief minister Manohar Parrikar. I > fail to understand the police action against him," > said Roseferns. > > Describing how Francis de Tuem was nabbed by the cops, > Roseferns said, "When I intervened and demanded to know why > he was being arrested, the cops simply told me that a > complaint was lodged by Mickky against him. They did not heed > my plea that he should be allowed to perform in my tiatr," > Roseferns said, adding that he had to effect some > "adjustments" into the sequence of songs to offset Francis de > Tuem's absence. > > http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-08-10/goa/41265850_1_mickky-nuvem-mla-francisco-roseferns > > * * * > > Parrikar gets the stick from tiatrists > Marcus Mergulhao, TNN | Aug 4, 2013, 04.48 AM IST > > PANAJI: Just like in his tiatr, Mariano Fernandes did not > name the offender, but the message was loud and clear. > > "Freedom of speech and expression is being > suppressed by top-level officials who have > threatened to shut down my show," Mariano screamed > in one advertisement for 'Apunn Apleak Dev > Somestank', his latest offering that ran to a > packed house. > > In his tiatr, Mariano is critical of the state > government and its policies, and even though the > central character is only referred to as > Minister-who holds the education portfolio and > wears short-sleeved shirts-the target, unless you > are oblivious to what is happening around, is > clearly chief minister Manohar Parrikar. > > Parrikar gets lambasted all through the tiatr; in most scenes > and songs actually. He is called several things, vanshel > (bear), Hitler (needs no explanation) and a devil with two > large horns, amongst others. But the most cruel blow, as > always, is delivered by Francis de Tuem who drags a replica > of a two-faced snake on stage, of course with Parrikar's face > plastered on it. > > Lawry Travasso, one of Goa's topmost singers, also > tears into Parrikar insisting, "We know just how > much you love the Catholics", while Francis de Tuem > declares, "One year after becoming chief minister, > Goans know who you are." > > In the same song, Francis de Tuem, who has made a name for > himself by cutting politicians to size, makes a significant > point. "I was the only one who criticized you (in the past)," > he sings, as the crowd listens in rapt attention. > > The firebrand singer has a point. Last year, most tiatrists > were eating out of Parrikar's hand, singing praises and > ridiculing the then extremely corrupt government, championed > by Digambar Kamat. It's an unspoken truth but Parrikar, to a > large extent, rode piggyback on the tiatrists, especially in > Catholic-dominated constituencies of South Goa. > > Now, as Parrikar gets caught in a web of promises and the cry > to save Dabolim only gets louder, the honeymoon seems to be > over. > > "Parrikar has forgotten everything. We will show him his > place (now)," Junior Nelson sang in Constantino Crasto's hit > tiatr 'Amchem Chintop Tumchem Xinkop'. > > The crowd enjoys the Parrikar bashing and most singers are > called back at least twice on stage. If you are Francis de > Tuem and lambasting the chief minister, the whistles and > applause simply grow louder. > > he tiatrists-clearly incensed by Mopa, the recent > meat ban, the Vasco schoolgirl rape case, casinos, > law and order issues-are making bold predictions as > well. Junior Nelson, an influential singer from > Vasco, vowed to quit singing if the BJP could bag > the South Goa Parliamentary seat in next year's > elections. Lawry Travasso claimed the Congress > were better and Tony de Ribandar felt it would be > difficult for Parrikar to complete his five-year > term as chief minister. > > Parrikar is not oblivious to the criticism from tiatrists. > Last week, he accepted an invitation to attend the Gulab > Awards, amongst others, for tiatrists, and left just before a > political singer was to take the stage. > > Parrikar may well have saved himself the embarrassment but > there is still no escaping. Hell hath no fury like a tiatrist > scorned! > > http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/Parrikar-gets-the-stick-from-tiatrists/articleshow/21588829.cms