Daijiworld Media Network – Panaji

Panaji, Jun 23: Days after being dropped from the Goa Cabinet, former Art and Culture Minister Govind Gaude made his first public appearance on Sunday, questioning whether seeking accountability from a department warranted removal from office.

Addressing a public meeting under the banner of Priol Pragati Manch in Marcel, Gaude revealed that Chief Minister Pramod Sawant had called him on June 18, asking for his resignation, allegedly under pressure from BJP national president J P Nadda.

“I refused to resign because my fight is for the people,” said Gaude, adding that the CM later told media the decision was his own. “Is it wrong if a minister asks for accountability from a department?” he asked.

Gaude, a tribal leader, was dismissed from the Cabinet weeks after he alleged corruption in the Tribal Welfare Department, a portfolio directly overseen by the Chief Minister.
The controversy stemmed from Gaude’s remarks at a May 25 Prerna Divas event, where he criticised the department’s functioning and claimed that contractor files were being handled discreetly in government offices.

In his speech, Gaude clarified he would not resign from the BJP. “I did not join the BJP to resign. I will continue to fight for the rights of the tribal community,” he said.

He also claimed that in his three-and-a-half years with the party, he was never allowed to meet the central BJP leadership despite repeated requests. “I had full faith in the state leadership, but now I am beginning to understand why that meeting never happened,” Gaude remarked.

The Priol MLA said he has written letters to President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and BJP chief J P Nadda, detailing the developments in the state. He also plans to circulate his speech in Hindi, English and Marathi to prevent misrepresentation.

Blaming the media for distorting his statements, Gaude questioned, “Does the government take decisions based on media reports?”

Gaude recalled that in 2019, during the illness of former CM Manohar Parrikar, he had suggested Pramod Sawant’s name as a possible chief minister, calling him a friend and former classmate.

Expressing no regret over his ouster, Gaude said being dropped on June 18 — Goa Revolution Day — felt symbolic. “My kranti has always been about raising the voice of the downtrodden,” he said.