The GMC Fiasco

The true colours that make up the latest display of exactly how unhinged things are in Goa right now.

It’s been a grim week. From the tragic news of the Air India crash killing at least 260 people mostly passengers on the plane as well as residents of the doctors’ hostel on the ground to news of the Israel attacking Iran claiming that it is a threat to its existence, and closer home Pramod Sawant announcing that cab aggregators, Ola and Uber will not be coming to Goa after all. What the fate of the cab aggregators and the connected guidelines will be I don’t quite know.

But there’s only one thing I really want to talk about and that’s the GMC fiasco. It is of course something that I mentioned last week. However, much more has happened since then and besides, the incident and the men and women involved deserve more attention. So this week, I thought I’d speak about just this. This might get a bit long, so stick with me.

The GMC Fiasco

A photo released by Rane’s office showing him giving Dr Rudresh Kuttikar a dressing down.

And a fiasco it is, in more ways than one.

Firstly, I have got to admit, I have to begin by thanking Vishwajit Rane. Thank him for showing his true self for all the world to see. The man who you saw yelling at the doctor in the most degrading manner at Dr Rudresh Kuttikar, is who he really is. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. What was different this time was that the entire incident was captured on video by his own personal cameraman and then later shared with the media with a caption that it was footage from a “surprise visit” to the Hospital.

Not only did he have himself filmed, with some suggesting that a bluetooth mic was seen protruding from underneath his kurta, but he also thought that sharing the footage with the media was a wise thing to do.

Rane has since said that he “deeply regrets the manner in which he addressed the situation” after having earlier said that he accepts that his “tone and words could have been more measured.” We’ll return to the apology bit later.

For those who have not really tracked Rane closely, his behaviour may have come as a shock and a surprise. But those who have seen him over the years, know very well that this is, in fact, his default setting.

In February this year, he made a similar surprise inspection to the Asilo district hospital at Mapusa and suspended (or said he was) Dr Shirley Ribeiro, the radiologist heading the radiology department at the hospital besides also two drivers and a lower division clerk. The difference being that Dr Shirly Ribeiro was not suspended on camera, because she was on ‘leave’ that day, with the video revealing Rane was questioning the doctors present: “Who sanctioned her leave?” on the day of his “surprise inspection.”

Similarly in April this year, Rane moved a note for a “recommendation of strict action” against forest officials “not informing him” that the Bondla zoo (and wildlife sanctuary) was shut for the public after an outbreak of influenza was afflicting the animals at the zoo.

Towards the end of the same month, he sought the suspension of the deputy conservator of forests, after an unwell leopard that was found roaming in the villages of Goa died during treatment. It is not known whether any action was ultimately initiated against any forest officials, because as you know, when Rane says he has moved a note, it doesn’t actually mean he has moved a note.

And these instances are just from this year. Here’s a list of instances that have happened prior to this. In July 2023, Rane suspended two nurses at the Goa Dental College on camera, after allegedly receiving “multiple complaints from patients”. The instance was quite similar to what unfolded at GMC with Rane telling the nurses to “leave now!”

It was only after the outrage reached national proportions that Rane began to worry about the consequences of his actions and how they might affect his image. In the first statement that he put out, Rane said he accepted that “his tone and words could have been more measured” but said that he was not apologising for “standing up for a patient who was denied care.”

The post on X (formerly Twitter) was quickly hit with a community note that pointed out that there is “absolutely no need for the vitamin B12 injection to be given in a casualty setting.”

Which calls into question the role played by the journalist in question Vilas Mahadik.

Mahadik in a statement shared via WhatsApp (which was later referred to by Rane in his “will not apologise” post) said his mother-in-law was being treated for a “severe sciatic leg problem” and was prescribed a daily injection (of vitamin B12), which she was taking everyday at the OPD (outpatient department). On that day, it being a public holiday, the OPD was closed and were apparently told that they should go to the casualty department to have the injection administered.

When the wife and the mother-in-law of the journalist approached the casualty they were told that the casualty was only for emergency cases and to get it done elsewhere (to the health centre, according to the journalist).

What the journalist didn’t reveal was that after his mother-in-law was rebuffed, he decided to pull rank and called the Dean. The Dean, according to Dr Madhu Ghodkirekar (more about him later), told the journalist to head to the orthopaedic ward and get the injection administered there, which is what he ultimately did.

Snubbed, the journalist decided to approach the minister to complain about being denied service, an act which set the chain of events in motion leading to the minister giving the casualty medical officer a very public dressing down.

The (non)apology

No sooner Rane realised that the video was circulating and outrage was growing over his treatment of the doctor, he issued the first of his two non-apologies. In the first statement, he wasn’t even apologising, only saying that he was right in what he did, only that his “tone and words could have been more measured” and that “such an approach would not be repeated.”

He in fact justified his actions saying that he was upset that “an elderly patient was denied care”. “I will not apologise for standing up for a patient who was denied care… But when arrogance seeps into duty, when compassion is replaced with indifference, it is my responsibility to take action. Because if we let such behaviours pass unaddressed, we send a message that it is acceptable to deny a senior citizen or any person medical help,” his statement read. If you miss the irony the first time, I suggest reading his post again!

The second apology, given first to a news channel, is again, not really an apology. Here, more than expressing regret, he seems to suggest the outrage against him is deliberately manufactured, hinting that it was politically motivated, he says those commenting from outside don’t really know what they are talking about, besides, was dismissive of doctors protesting outside the state.

The incident has helped me learn, among other things, what is referred to in medical terms as a “triage.” You see, doctors working in a casualty department of any hospital, that is meant to deal with the most serious cases, aren't supposed to treat patients on a first-come-first-serve basis. It is quite literally his/her job to decide which patients are in most urgent need of attention and to tend to them. If there are no patients the doctors -- especially those at a tertiary medical institute are to be on standby, ready for emergencies.

You can’t ask the fire brigade to water your lawn and then blame them for not doing so by claiming they were just sitting there doing nothing. But that’s exactly what the health minister (no less) and the journalist in question, were expecting them to do.

No sooner the incident sparked outrage, Rane began damage control. His team began releasing testimonies of people complaining about how they were mistreated at the state’s premier medical facility. Journalists too were ‘encouraged’ to paint a picture that neglect at the GMC was a common occurrence that needed to be firmly dealt with. Since then, he’s also been busy in the social media space trying to buy back some of the lost repute.

The role of the media

The most obvious aspect is how some journalists in Goa don’t think twice before using their proximity to the politicians in power to bully and harass government officials and servants who are simply doing their job, using their ‘influence’ as a written and unwritten threat to be treated favourably. It is by no means something that is limited to Goa or to Goan journalists, but continues because politicians encourage such behaviour, as was on full display last week.

But the role of the media goes beyond just that. From calling Rane a ‘Nayak’ for what most right-thinking folk could clearly see was an instance of abuse of power, to implying that there was a fault on the part of the casualty medical officer that provoked Rane to act, to agreeing to hold an apology ‘interview’ at a time and place of Rane’s choosing -- it wasn’t just Rane showing his true colours.

It wasn’t just the local media, though. Questions were also asked of the coverage of the incident by a certain national TV channel that seemingly also gave Rane a ‘free run’.

And there’s a bit of history and an anecdote that I’m personally aware of. And it (once again) involves the mother of a journalist! The story dates back to the early days of the Covid pandemic, during the time when you needed a Covid test and a period of isolation before you could be allowed to enter the state.

So the national journalist in question (who I shall not name, since there is no way to prove it, if I’m hauled before a judge) decided that being a journalist, his family deserves special treatment. And so, he phones a minister in the Goa government (you know who) and not only does his mother (who wanted to come to Goa) get a government escort from the border to their place or residence, but also has the Covid test conducted at their home and the period of quarantine conveniently waived off at the instance of the minister!

What do we file this under? Duty to serve? VIP culture? You-scratch-my-back-I-scratch-yours?

The media (some of them) showed that when it comes to holding power to account, they’d either side with the bullies or turn into bullies themselves.

Now that I’ve said all that, I also must mention the those who faithfully did their job -- this is a group of (mostly newspaper) reporters (and photographers) who didn’t go about trying to justify the minister’s actions and who (in some cases) defied diktats to do what they could to call out the incident for what it was.

Outrage!

The Goa Chapter of the Indian Medical Association firmly condemned the incident, the Goa Association of Resident Doctors issued a statement and held a protest at the hospital with a list of demands, rightfully citing, that this wasn’t an isolated incident, but that they have to work under constant pressure and threats from anyone and everyone who claims to have a connection with someone ‘higher-up’. It smells more of the failure of the system rather than the failure of individuals.

But you know who wasn’t really outraged (or didn’t seem so) it was the Dean and Medical Superintendent. The Dean, who was present at the press conference held along with GARD the day after the incident, appeared to only reluctantly condemn the health minister for his acts.

And not without reason. As I mentioned last week, Dr Bandekar, was himself appointed Dean ‘out-of-of turn’. As I mentioned in my piece “Who's the real chief, chief?”,the Goa government appointed Dr J P Tiwari, the then head of the Nephrology Department, as Dean of the Goa Medical College. The order was issued based on the recommendation of the Goa Public Service Commission, a constitutional body tasked with recommending appointments to top level government posts.

Within hours, the government put the order on hold and allowed Dr S M Bandekar (who was then holding the post on an ad-hoc basis) to continue to be dean. Dr Bandekar was appointed ad-hoc dean after the previous Dean Dr Pradeep Naik, was similarly mistreated by the government (or a certain someone in the government). Dr Naik, was removed from the post of Dean in February 2019 (soon after Parrikar’s death, no less) and asked to report to the Public Health Department, where he remained without any official posting until his retirement.

Dr Tiwari, who rightfully deserved the post of Dean, was sidelined and the incumbent was allowed to continue. So much for having a robust health system in place.

The coda

The ‘chair’ that Rane sat on and disrespected was ultimately at fault, I guess.

It was always known, as a note that was circulated at GMC under the name of “United Doctors of GMC” suggested, that the Health Minister would not “have the grace to visit GMC personally and apologise for his behaviour.”

The only question was whether the doctors would hold firm or would be forced into a compromise “with a large heart.” As it turns out, it was the latter.

Dr Madhu Ghodkirekar, a forensic specialist who was associated with GMC for many years and is currently deputed to the South Goa District hospital, and is otherwise known to be a very affable doctor, appeared on the scene, reportedly on the request of Dr Rudresh Kuttikar and orchestrated a quite comical ritual involving ‘apologising to a chair.’

The theory went like this. Vishwajit Rane in his act of arrogance, had not only ‘insulted’ Dr Kuttikar, but the medical fraternity represented by the ‘chair’ that he sat on when giving Dr Kuttikar a dressing down. And so, the actual chair that Rane sat on was brought to the Dean’s office, doctors including the Dean and Medical Superintendent placed their lab coats onto the chair and said ‘sorry’ to it. Because, the reasoning offered went, it was not Rane alone who was disrespecting the profession, but some doctors themselves allowed it to be so. Talk about throwing the protesting residents under the bus!

Make whatever sense of it if you can. But it was clear to me that the intention was simply to symbolically call off the planned strike and not stretch the matter further.

The Chief Minister said that all of the GARD’s demands had been agreed upon. However, one of the GARD’s demands was that an FIR be registered against the cameraman who filmed the minister during his ‘round’ of the casualty ward. Wonder what happened to that!

Now, I get that it’s fine for doctors to have a ‘large heart’ and decide to back down knowing very well that no further apology would be forthcoming. But why question, as Dr Madhu did, whether it was appropriate for an official of the government (in this case a doctor) to ask for an apology from the minister?

Is Dr Madhu trying to suggest that government servants should take things lying down, no matter how they are treated by ministers? Isn’t human dignity a basic human right that is available to all regardless of status, position and power? If not, then what kind of a question is that?

It's not a question of who is demanding an apology from whom.

It is about basic human dignity. Even an employee has every right to demand an apology from an employer if they are treated in a demeaning and unprofessional manner.

But I can’t leave without saying a word about Chief Minister Pramod Sawant.

For a man, for who Vishwajit Rane represents a direct political rival, he’s had a ton of opportunities to cut him down to size or at least clip his wings -- all of which he’s squandered -- taking up for him each time for his errant cabinet colleague, rather than allowing him to stew in his own juices.

Be it during the Covid oxygen shortage, or now or on account of the various TCP controversies, it is quite bemusing to see the Chief Minister fumble the moment whereas if the roles were reversed, Sawant would have been eaten alive by now.

Perhaps, he’s waiting for the high command to make a decision for him.

---

That’s all I have for you this week. Make sure you comment or write in, should you have something, anything to say.

I would also invite you to contribute via sending in your views, especially on a subject you know something about, and I will be happy to include it as part of the newsletter.

You are also welcome to write in with leads and tip-offs or anything that you think might be interesting enough to include here.

As always, please share and help spread the word.

Until next week, then. Tchau!