WHEN you are sworn in as a cabinet minister or a high court judge, or are a commissioned officer of the Indian armed forces or the state police, you forsake your right to free speech because you are a part of the state. A cabinet minister like Govind Gaude who was recently dropped by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant took a jibe at the corruption in the tribal welfare ministry of the Goa government. This portfolio is handled by none other than the CM himself.
Mr Gaude, holding the Sports & Rural Development portfolios, took a jibe when he spoke at a Prerna Divas event organized by the Department of Tribal Welfare along with the United Tribal Associations’ Alliance on May 25, 2025. In his speech, Mr Gaude said “a large amount of tax payers’ money is allotted to the Tribal Welfare department. If it is unable to organize the program efficiently, then it shows a lack of control over the administration. The files of contractors are handled under the Shram Shakti Bhavan (a government block). Something is taken from them and then they are asked to submit their files.”
Elaborating, Mr Gaude added, “The construction of the Tribal Bhavan is a long-pending demand of the tribal community. They gave their land for the project…The foundation stone was laid when I was the Tribal Welfare Minister. The project has been stalled. Why is there no progress in this project?”

MEDIA SCAPEGOAT
His remarks provoked a sharp reaction from the BJP who warned the minister that “appropriate action” would be taken against him for his alleged “irresponsible statements” which prompted the beleaguered minister to try and contain the damage by alleging he was “misquoted” by the media, which is a favorite ploy among the ministers and politicians who like to see their names in the headlines so they can garner votes.
But votes apart, Mr Gaude obviously knew what he was talking about for the simple reason that he was the former Tribal Welfare Minister and all the sensitive files went through his hands. As in the case of former Goa governor, Satya Pal Malik, who was shunted out after he spoke about corruption during the State government’s handling of the Covid-19 pandemic. Minister Gaude too now learns a bitter lesson.
That is, when you accept a Cabinet post, you are expected to be a silent spectator to all that you witness, because exposing your own government will be rewarded with being booted out. After all, ministers like judges, take an oath of secrecy to uphold the Constitution, which ironically offers the right to freedom of speech and expression with one hand and takes it away with the other.
SATYA Pal Malik, who says he is a Lohaiite, alleged in an interview with Rajdeep Sardessai, “there was corruption in everything that the Goa government did.” He was shunted out to Jammu and Kashmir from Goa where he backed the farmers’ agitation, which must have embarrassed the BJP government because although governors of state like the judges of the 25 high courts and the Supreme Court are constitutional authorities, sworn to uphold the Constitution and not the political party to got them gubernatorial posts. Those are theoretical niceties and not harsh reality.

CM’S PLEASURE
WHEN questioned, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant told newsmen that “I have taken the decision” to drop Govind Gaude. Atanasio “Babush” Monserrate, a controversial Cabinet minister, told probing newsmen, “It is the chief minister’s prerogative to keep or drop a minister. You enjoy the position of Cabinet minister at the pleasure of the chief minister and have to go when he (Pramod Sawant) decides to drop you.”
Whatever may be the position, if we compare the allegations of a responsible former governor like Satya Pal Malik and in the latest case, Govind Gaude, we have to agree that all is not hunky dory within the government. Allegations of corruption in handling the Covid-19 pandemic have surfaced and will continue to do so. It was no less a minister than Rohan Khaunte, who had called Pramod Sawant a “pappu” before he joined the ruling BJP, after which he was arrested for allegedly assaulting its spokesperson, Premanand Mhambrey in 2020 within the Goa Assembly precincts.
Rohan Khaunte could not have been arrested without the nod of Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, who forced Health Minister Viswajit Rane to apologize to the striking doctors after the latter berated a senior doctor. This incidence had culminated in a huge public backlash on the government of the day.
Corruption is an ongoing facet within the government but Pramod Sawant, who holds the sensitive vigilance portfolio, has asserted himself several times and proved he is not a “pappu.” Those who expose alleged shenanigans within his government will be booted out. If he could boot out the former DGP Jaswant Singh who helped a colleague in RAW by facilitating the demolition of a house, and followed it by booting out his sports minister, we have to acknowledge that Goa’s CM is no pushover.
IN the final analysis, we must accept that those who accept Constitutional posts must accept they have to take their secrets with them to the grave. That means they have to silence their conscience or forego their Cabinet posts. Both Govind Gaude, former governor Satya Pal Malik and health minister Viswajit Rane have learnt this.
Freedom of speech is a chimera as it always has been. It is a curtailed and moth-eaten freedom which Cabinet ministers forego when they are sworn in, and when those lawyers who accept judgeship take their oath of office to uphold the Constitution without fear or favor, affection or ill will.
Sometimes, when accused of corruption, they swear by their conscience without realizing that the Constitution of India overrides their conscience which is molded by their own values and upbringing.
Justice Yashwant Varma, who has refused to resign despite being told to do so, will swear by his conscience. Ministers like Govind Gaude, who have been accused of failing to perform, will also swear by their conscience.