Photo caption. Singer Francis de Tuem addressing the media in the presence of his
lawyer, Adv Aires Rodrigues, tiatr director Roseferns, Irineu Gonsalves, and Wilson
Mazarello. Photo by Santosh Mirajkar.
THE GOAN NETWORK
MARGAO
Welcoming Nuvem MLA Mickky Pacheco’s decision to file a defamation case, singer
Francis de Tuem and director of TuzoÂi Dis Eitolo Roseferns on Saturday made it categorically
clear that the song “Good Behavior” which kicked up a row at the Ravindra Bhavan on
Wednesday will not be dropped from future stage performances.
Tuem’s lawyer Adv Aires Rodrigues asserted that the district collector has no power to ban the
song, saying law mandates the collector to give hearing to the singer and the director before
taking any decision.
Even as Tuem said he is bracing up to face the defamation case threatened by the Nuvem MLA,
Director Roseferns gave a clean chit for Tuem, saying he found nothing objectionable in the song
that merited editing. “I do not find anything defamatory in the song. That’s the reason why Tuem
was allowed to sing the song from his tiatr platform. And, there’s no question of Tuem not singing
the song in future shows," Roseferns said, while strongly refuting allegations that the singer had
pointed a gun at Mickky’s supporters behind the stage.
Addressing the media, Tuem said his song 'Good Behavior' referred to one Mickky Mouse, who
was sentenced to imprisonment and he was pulled up in the jail for indiscipline. He promised to
prove in the court on the allegation leveled by him in respect of Mickky’s involved in the money
laundering and the recruitment of people overseas. “I had first sung the son on November 6. If
Mickky was aggrieved, he could have lodged a case the next day itself, He has no right to take
the law into his hands," he said, while demanding whether resorting to disruption of a tiatr
amounts to good behavior.
Saying that he has not targeted Mickky’s mother in his songs, Tuem said he had only referred to
Mickky’s plea in the pardon case how the legislator had cited the ill health of his mother for pardon
when he did not inquire with her health after he went into hiding for two months in the case.
“Mickky cannot accept criticism, but he enjoys when tiatrists criticizes other politicians. I was the
first to sing a song on family raj and Mickky had felicitated me with a cash award in Kuwait. When
I had questioned Mickky’s arrest, he had again felicitated me for the song with a cash prize of Rs
12,000. Politicians should realise that they have to face the music when they are in power," he
asserted.
When it was pointed out to him that the Tiatr Academy of Goa has not come out in his support,
Tuem said he and other tiatrists have not involved government agencies to support his cause.
“Our fight will continue whether TAG supports us or not. We will approach TAG when the time
comes”, he said.
In his address, Tuem’s lawyer Adv Aires Rodrigues reminded that Mickky will have to prove that
his character is defamed in the song, further reminding that public life of politicians is open for
public scrutiny.
“I and my client are waiting for Pacheco to file the defamation as that would give them the platform to expose the MLA’s misdeeds. We look forward for the day when Mickky lodges the defamation case. And, I want to come on record that we will not allow him to withdraw the case," he warned.
Noted Konkani stage artist Wilson Mazarello said that hooliganism and vandalism on the tiatr
stage during public performances and forceful entry in the Green Room is violation of privacy and
security, while calling for strict action by the agencies.
“Disturbing or forcefully stopping the public
performance of a tiatr is violating the right of a producer/director to preserve and promote our
culture, which is guaranteed to him under Article 29 of the Constitution," Mazarello added.
*****
Margao police register
NC case against Tuem
THE GOAN NETWORK
MARGAO
The Margao Police has registered a nonÂcognizable offense against the singer Francis
de Tuem in connection with Wednesday’s incident following a complaint lodged by Nuvem MLA
Mickky Pacheco’s supporter Peter Fernandes.
In his complaint lodged with the police, Peter had sought action against the singer of the song for
criminal intimidation, defamation and criminal restrains.
Margao SubÂdivisional Police officer, DySP Dinraj Govekar told The Goan that the Margao police
has registered a nonÂcognizable case against Tuem in view of the complaint lodged by Peter.
Meanwhile, a resident of Verna Francis D’Mello has lodged a complaint with the district police
demanding action against Francis de Tuem for allegedly pointing a gun at the Ravindra bhavan
and get his gun license cancelled immediately.
He has also prayed to the police and authorities to initiate proceedings under the Cr P C and
issue directions to Tuem to avoid personal and scandalous allegation, whether true or false of any
persons in society.
He also requested the Collector to issue a show cause notice as to why Tuem should not be
orderd to execute a bond of Rs 10,000 to keep peace for a period of one year.
******
Collector yet to
receive report
THE GOAN NETWORK
MARGAO
South Goa district Collector, Dr Sachin Shinde on Saturday said his office has till date
not received any report from the district police chief on the Ravindra Bhavan, Margao episode
involving Nuvem MLA Mickky Pacheco and singer Francis de Tuem.
He also declined to comment whether his office has any power to ban any singer from singing a
song, saying all these issues will come up only after he receives the report from the district police
chief. “It is hypothetical to say whether the controversial song will be banned or not. Let the report
from the district police chief come to me and accordingly, I will decide," Dr Shinde told The Goan.
When The Goan contacted district police chief, SP Shekhar Prabhudesai to shed light on the
police report to the Collector, he said the report will be officially submitted to the district Collector’s
office on Monday. “Since the police were preoccupied on Friday and the Collectorate office closed
on Saturday, my office will submit the Mickky-Tuem episode to the Collector on Monday," SP
Prabhudesai said.
