Some snippets from the good old days of Panchayat

I am reminded of certain events that use to occur more often than no in the Panchayat days.

As a media man, I must tell you what I myself observed from very close quarters during those days.

Though I never entered into such any group or media-mafia but then friends who use to honor me looking at my seniority in this profession at times revealed stories which I suppose could be thrilling to my readers.

In fact the media men forming a cartel or mafia used to have some ten persons in each group. What was then decided by this group that of half of the total should “target” one businessman once a week.

What was also decided that the targeting group would not approach the said targeted businessman. Instead the second half of the group would in some way or the other approach the targeted businessman and would convince him that this special group had come to his rescue and would do the needful in shielding the businessman.

The deal was thus struck and the received amount thus got proportionately distributed amongst themselves. The entire act was accomplished with such finesse that neither the businessman nor the readers could get an inkling on how the target was made and how the entire problem solved.

In the process, the second half now used to select yet another businessman and hit hard through their writings. Similarly, the second half of the group which had not participated in the targeting scheme, repeated the same acts which meant that this group approaching the other businessman assuring him that they collectively would fix the issue for good.

Here again the deal was struck and the total amount thus again received from the “target” were equally shared by the media men comprising the media mafia.

I don’t have much idea as to whether this practice continues even today or some other techniques have been devised by my colleagues? But I am sure; some one or some groups must have been keeping up the Nepali tradition.

We believe in keeping the tradition alive. Thus it appears likely that some of my friends in this sector must have been doing the same. The twisting modes and methods might have changed, I presume.

While writing this I am reminded of one more event.

During the Panchayat days, the home minister used to distribute some money even to media men. In lieu the ministry used to get information from the said media men. So it was just a case “you support me, I will support you”.

It so happened that one media man received a bank cheque from the home ministry. The bank cheque was worth 7,500, precisely speaking.

The media man who received the bank paper while on his way to the bank just added one zero (0) at the end of the cheque. This meant that his simple effort at adding one zero made him the master of some seventy thousand rupees.

Later, I was told that the ministry knew of this sad happening. The journalist is still very much kicking and alive.

Nepali media has several forms. I don’t know wherein I fit into.