Tiatrists have no right to target my children, insists Mickky
TEAM HERALD
bureau@herald-goa.com
VASCO/MARGAO: Tiatrist Francis De Tuem was on Saturday released on bail after being arrested in connection with a complaint of extortion and defamation filed by Nuvem MLA Mickky Pacheco.
While Francis de Tuem claims he has been arrested on false charges and has added that his arrest is a direct threat to the entire Tiatro community, Pacheco has insisted that he has no problem if tiatrists target him since he is a public figure, they cannot target his children.
While releasing him on a bail bond of Rs 10,000, the JMFC has directed Francis de Tuem to visit the police station on Sunday.
Meanwhile, a large crowd gathered at the Verna Police Station on Saturday afternoon as fans demanded the release of Francis de Tuem from police custody. However, only family members were allowed to meet Francis de Tuem before he was released from the police station.
In a press note, Francis de Tuem stated that he had been “arrested on a false and trumped up charge of extortion, filed by Nuvem MLA Mickky Pacheco.”
“As a tiatrist, I have been performing all over Goa for the last 15 years and as a socially conscious citizen, I have always highlighted the ill-doings of our politicians,” stated Francis de Tuem.
“My arrest is a direct threat to the entire Tiatro community including the audience that those who choose to speak in a forthright manner may no longer have the freedom to do so. Today, all performers are under threat as anyone could be arrested on false charges. The Tiatro is over hundred years old and even during the Salazar regime or during the dark days of the emergency, no tiatrist was implicated in false cases.”
“The tiatr ‘Apunn Apleak Dev Somestank’ is a parody on the political scenario on Goa at present. Those who exploit Goa are now seeking to silence those who are perceived as a threat. I shall continue my fight against corruption and injustice with the Tiatro as my vehicle,” he added.
Meanwhile, Pacheco has insisted that tiatrists have no right to target his children, when they are not responsible or involved in politics.
During an informal interaction with reporters when he made an appearance at the Verna Police Station on Saturday morning, Mickky said: “I fail to understand what my children aged 8-10 years have got to do with politics. I have no problem if they (tiatrists) target me because I am a public figure, but they cannot target my children.”
Referring to Francis de Tuem’s challenge to him to produce the certificates of his children, Mickky said he has accepted the gauntlet. “Today, I have been invited as a chief guest at a Tiatr in Margao and I will show my children’s certificates. In his speech at the Ravindra Bhavan, Francis had said he will leave the Konkani stage if I produce my children’s certificates. He should now honour his word and quit the tiatr stage after I produce my children’s certificates”, he asserted.
“I have been supporting the tiatr and tiatrists over the last 15 years. But, I am sorry that some of the tiatrists are unnecessarily targeting him without any rhyme or reason,” Mickky added.
