- By Deeksha Gour
- Mon, 26 May 2025 07:50 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Goa Art and Culture Minister Govind Gaude strongly criticised the Tribal Welfare Department on Sunday during a Prerna Din event and surprisingly accused his own government of corruption. During the event, the minister contested how well the department is being run and whether it is being open and honest in its work.
Gaude pointed out that the department receives a lot of taxpayers' money, yet it couldn't even organise the event adequately. He felt this showed poor management. The minister appeared disappointed with the low number of people who attended the event. Since Chief Minister Pramod Sawant is also in charge of the Tribal Welfare Department, Gaude's remarks are seen as politically significant.
Gaude also accused the department of secretly handling contractor files at the Shram Shakti Bhavan building, suggesting that shady things were going on behind the scenes.
Later, he criticised the government for not moving forward with the long-promised Tribal Bhavan project. He pointed out that the tribal community had donated land and that the foundation stone was laid when he was the tribal minister, but the project has been on hold for three years.
"Construction of a tribal building is a long-pending plea of the tribals. People of this community had submitted their land for the project. When I was the tribal minister, I laid the foundation stone. Despite this, the task has been delayed for the last three years," he said. "Why is there no progress on the project? The tribal department should explain," asked Gaude.
He asked why there had been no progress and said the department should give answers. He urged Chief Minister Sawant to step in and "fix the issues" immediately.
Meanwhile, reacting to the minister's remarks, Goa MLA Carlos Alvares Ferreira, took a scathing attack on CM Sawant-led government and pointed out whether the minister who questioned his own government would remain firm over the claims or the saffron party would sack him, like Pandurang Madkaikar. "Govind Gaude, a minister accusing corruption in his own Government, speaks aloud what public has been alleging all this while. Will he remain firm or be asked by BJP to buckle down and withdraw just like Pandurang Madkaikar?" asked Ferreira on social media platform, X.