CM SAWANT’S GMC THEATRE OF COERCION – A DARK DAY FOR GOA’S DEMOCRACY

CM SAWANT’S GMC THEATRE OF COERCION – A DARK DAY FOR GOA’S DEMOCRACY

Panjim, 10 June 2025 – Francis Coelho, General Secretary (Media & Communications), Aam Aadmi Party Goa, attacked the government in a strongly worded press release, calling the day’s events “a grotesque demonstration of state power and political bullying designed to crush legitimate dissent.”

“Today, the Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant orchestrated a disturbing spectacle of power at the Goa Medical College (GMC). Rather than addressing a just and clear demand from the Goa Association of Resident Doctors (GARD), the CM’s intervention resembled a state-sponsored act of coercion meant to silence dissent and shield his Health Minister from accountability” he further added.

THE SCRIPTED SURRENDER

Bypassing Justice, Imposing Power
GARD’s demand was simple and just: Health Minister Vishwajeet Rane must offer an unconditional apology at the GMC Casualty Department – the site where he publicly humiliated Dr. Kuttikar. But instead of upholding dignity and justice, CM Sawant:

Deployed senior consultants aligned with the government to corner and isolate the protesting resident doctors.

Exerted bureaucratic pressure to force an end to the strike.

Distracted with superficial solutions like CCTV installations and SOP promises, while evading the central issue of ministerial misconduct.

The Whispered Threats
Behind closed doors, senior doctors reminded GARD leaders of the consequences faced by previous dissenters: “Remember the COVID oxygen protesters? All mysteriously failed their exams.” This thinly veiled threat exemplifies a disturbing pattern under BJP’s governance – silencing voices through fear and reprisal.

The Studio Apology Farce
Minister Rane’s “apology” – pre-recorded, conditional, and devoid of remorse – only added insult to injury. With CM Sawant supervising the narrative, even this farce was shielded from public accountability.

EYEWITNESS ACCOUNT: SILENCED WHITE COATS

As a direct witness at GMC:

Dr. Kuttikar’s Anguish was evident – his face told the story of a professional stripped of dignity.

GARD’s Defeat was palpable – their huddled consultations gave way to silence, resignation, and the cold lesson: dissent will be punished.

The Sound of Fear filled the halls – not a single doctor spoke to the press. The CM’s “resolution” was a forced silence, not a fair settlement.

THE CANCER IN GOA’S INSTITUTIONS

This incident isn’t isolated; it represents a larger decay within Goa’s democratic framework under BJP rule:

Rule by Intimidation – CM Sawant used his position not to mediate, but to intimidate.

Retribution as Policy – From academic “coincidences” post-COVID to today’s threats, vendetta has become institutionalized.

Democracy as Performance – From Taleigao’s Gram Sabha to GMC, coercion now replaces consensus.

AAP’S DEMAND: RESTORE DIGNITY, PUNISH ABUSE

The Aam Aadmi Party stands firmly with Goa’s medical community and demands:

1. Immediate Unconditional Apology by Health Minister Rane at the GMC Casualty Department.
2. Judicial Inquiry into the treatment of GARD protesters and the alleged manipulation of exam results.
3. White Coat Protection Act to shield doctors from political retaliation and ensure professional independence.

A WARNING TO POWER

To CM Sawant: What you achieved today is no victory. You stood not as Goa’s leader, but as BJP’s enforcer. You chose silence over justice, suppression over dialogue.

That stethoscope you wore today – it didn’t symbolize healing. It became a noose choking the soul of Goa’s medical ethics.

“When healers are bullied, democracy bleeds in the ICU. AAP will be Goa’s pulse until justice prevails.”
– Francis Coelho