Let me begin with a full disclosure that I am an AAP volunteer/supporter. I have noticed that while other newspapers are more than generous in their coverage of AAP related news, Herald is displaying selective amnesia.
This was brought to the fore quite jarringly on two occasions –
1) On June 18, AAP held a protest outside Azad Maidan while CM Parsekar led the Goa Revolution Day celebrations inside. AAP was protesting the reinstatement of CM’s brother-in-law. A smaller protest was held by BBSM on the MOI issue at the same venue. The next day Herald reported the BBSM protest but nothing on the AAP protest.
2) On July 12, AAP tried to hand a memorandum to CM Parsekar at the Secretariat. The memorandum was signed by over 20,000 Goans from all across Goa demanding action by CM against his brother in law in the above case. While other newspapers and even local television channels covered this news event widely, once again not a single line in Herald in its July 13 July edition. For a newspaper that claims to be the people’s newspaper, you ignoring the voice of over 20000 Goans is quite shocking.
You attack BJP led Goa Govt. on a daily basis. Yet when AAP raises the same issues the ink in your pen runs dry. By your coverage it’s clear you are rooting for a ‘Mahagatbandhan’ to take on the BJP. So does it come down to who is financing you?
Keeping the recent sting operation in mind and your selective reporting on AAP activities I am judging you and so are fellow Goans.
P.S If you publish this letter I will know that you have some integrity and can take criticism on the chin. If you choose to ignore, it will be confirmed that you have pawned your pen to the highest bidder.
Adv. Ohm Stanley
Dear Adv Stanley
We do take criticism on our chins better than we take praise and we get both in democratic and healthy doses. With regard to your charge of selective amnesia along with examples you have mentioned, we admit it was incorrect to miss/not publish those stories. But to stretch it beyond it being editorial misjudgment would be unfair taking into account our coverage of AAP in the past.
We shall ensure that newsworthy coverage of AAP will continue – Editor
