AERIAL VIEW
The incident happened during one of the Assembly sessions (don’t remember the date exactly), I got a call from the Goa Speaker’s office around noon saying the Honourable Speaker has called you to the office tomorrow post lunch.
I was surprised and shocked “What have I done?”, I did not know but what did was a huge mistake.
I rushed to the Assembly, which was in session and as soon I entered the press room, I was greeted by my press friends who said “what have you done?”.
It took me some time to understand an issue. One of my reporters informed me that you had reported about the content of assembly paper which was still not tabled in the House. A MLA in Opposition Francis D’Souza had complained about me as it was his question.
SURAJ NANDREKAR
Editor, Goemakrponn
Goa’s longest-serving Chief Minister Shri Pratpsing Raoji Rane sir celebrated his 85th birthday amidst a sea of people from Sattari and elsewhere.
The Who’s who from Goan industries, media, and politicial horizon were all present for this momentous occasion during which the book “Make of Modern Goa” authored by his wife Vijayadevi Rane was also launched.
Indeed, it was a huge occasion for the Rane family, who have ruled Sattari, or at least Poriem for over 50 years now.
The dignitaries, including Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant, BJP State President Sadanand Shet Tanavade, Union Minister Shripad Naik, and Former Union Minister Suresh Prabhu were the guests who spoke and praised the great man and his achievements as the Chief Minister, Speaker and a great human being.
Indeed getting elected for 50 years from the same constituency is indeed “impossible to next”, no matter how much money one has, but this man made it possible due to his sheer people-friendly nature and his work for the downtrodden.
Interestingly, I started my political reporting in 2006, towards the end of Mr Rane’s last term as Chief Minister. Before that I was only covering Sports and working on desk as Sub-Editor with OHeraldo.
After 5 years of BJP rule, Rane began his fifth term as chief minister in February 2005 after the government fell due to a split in the Goa BJP.
A month later, however, the state was put under president’s rule for three months. Rane then served as chief minister for the sixth time, for two years until the June 2007 state elections. Though the Congress Party and its allies won a comfortable majority, Rane was forced to step aside as chief minister due to infighting within the state Congress party, and was forced to step aside in favor of a neutral candidate, Digambar Kamat. Rane was, however, elected speaker of the state assembly when it reconvened a few days later.
Of Course, I was barely new to political reporting even though I was nearing 10 years into journalism and did not have much knowledge of rules of the proceedings of the House.
However, I had already started my career in political and general reporting with a bang, exposing a few scams in the PWD , WRD and other departments. So the thirst for explosive and the exclusive stories was always there.
I contineud by agressive reporting and even Mr Rane took note of it but we hardly met, except for me calling him for some quotes here and there.
In 2009-10, don’t remember the exact date my then Chief Reporter Vijay D’Souza left Herald to join Times of India and I was given the charge to be the co-rdinator amongst the reporters. I was on the 7th heaven with this unannounced promotion of sorts and began to do reporting more aggressively.
The incident happened during one of the Assembly sessions (don’t remember the date exactly), I got a call from the Goa Speaker’s office around noon saying the Honourable Speaker has called you to the office tomorrow post lunch.
I was surprised and shocked “What have I done?”, I did not know but what did was a huge mistake.
I rushed to the Assembly, which was in session and as soon I entered the press room, I was greeted by my press friends who said “what have you done?”.
It took me some time to understand an issue. One of my reporters informed me that you had reported about the content of assembly paper which was still not tabled in the House. A MLA in Opposition Francis D’Souza had complained about me as it was his question.
(I am not revealing the issue here)
I realised my mistakes as spoke to my senior journalists Prakash Kamatbab, Vijay D’Souza, Ashley do Rosario and so on and they told me you cannot report or reveal the papers of the Assembly unless they are tabled in the House, example CAG report, inquiry report etc.
Being new to this, I started trembling, didn’t know how to react, I immediately spoke to the Editor Ashwin Tombat and we discussed what should be done next day.
I prepared for the day and was ready for my answers but I was only worried of how to face Mr Rane, the Speaker whose reputation was that of a strict man who followed the Rule Book in toto.
I knew, if he wanted I could be sent to jail for a day.
So the day arrived and Mr D’Souza entered the Speaker’s Coir and I was seated outside sweating profusely and wondering what was happening inside.
After a while I was called inside and there Mr Rane asked me “Do you know why you have been called here?”
I said, “Yes Sir.”
Mr Rane: “Do you think you did the right thing?”
Me: “No sir.”
Mr Rane: “Didn’t your seniors tell you it is wrong?”
Me: “No sir.”
Mr Rane: “Ok sit outside will call you again.”
I went out within minutes I was called back again.
Mr Rane: “Ok see, I have spoken to Mr D’Souza, he has complained against your report. Since you are new we will let you go with a warning if you apologise and reveal the name of the source who gave you the papers which is the Assembly’s property.”
I was happy that I will be let off but I did not want to reveal the name of the source.
Me: “Sir, I extremely apologise but I cannot reveal my source. If I do I will put my entire career at stake. I will lose trust and I would not get exclusive stories. So you can punish me for the mistake. I cannot reveal name.”
Mr Rane: “Do you know the consequences of this.”
Me: (with head down almost in tears, “yes sir”
Mr Rane: “What?”
Me: “Don’t know sir. But I know I cannot reveal the identity of the source. If I do it would would against the principles of journalism.”
Mr Rane to Francis D’Souza: “Mr D’Souza, I think you must rethink about your complaint. It is wrong on his part to report but the he is new and I think we must not discourage a young reporter from doing his duty of exposing the wrong. Revealing truth.”
Mr Francis D’Souza: “Speaker sir, I have nothing against him. I know him well as a good reporter but what he did was wrong.”
Mr Rane: “Ok boy, I let you go with the warning for your first mistake and any more such mistake and you know the consequences.”
After our discussion, I was told nothing was taken on record and Mr D’Souza took back his complaint.
Surprisingly, I and Mr D’Souza were great friends thereafter.
I don’t think Mr Rane remembers the incident, for he being a man who has faced too many such issues and I admire him for that.
After the incident, whenever Mr Rane looked at me he would give a smile, indirectly telling me, “be careful”.
