"Goa's Chief Minister Pramod Sawant: A mirror to his own corruption?" -- By Nisser Dias

In an eyebrow-raising statement to the media, Goa’s non-Goan Chief Minister, Pramod Sawant, promised “strict action” if corruption among government servants or politicians is ever brought to his notice. But the irony is hard to miss—was Sawant making this promise in earnest, or is he hoping the public has forgotten the deep-rooted accusations against him?



Corruption Starts at the Top

It’s easy to preach about corruption in the lower ranks of government, but what happens when the allegations reach the top office? Former Goa Governor Satya Pal Malik made no small claim when he accused Chief Minister Sawant himself of corruption. As the constitutional head of the state, Malik reported these allegations to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, expecting action. However, instead of stepping down to clear his name or challenge Malik’s claims, Sawant wielded his influence to see Malik removed from office. For someone so eager to lead the charge against corruption, Sawant’s own actions beg the question: why not start by turning the mirror on himself?

Selective Accountability: The Case of Pooja Naik

Sawant’s recent self-congratulatory statements about exposing a woman named Pooja Naik for job fraud is another example of selective enforcement. According to Sawant, Naik approached him directly to secure a government job for another individual, and when he discovered she had accepted money for the favor, he allegedly intervened, recovered the money, and returned it to the job seeker. However, no formal charges were filed against Naik, allowing her to walk free. Wouldn’t a clear signal against corruption have been to prosecute her? Instead, this half-hearted intervention allowed her to continue her schemes unrestrained.

It is like a young college boy who starts stealing pens, pencils and rubbers from mates, continues even when warned, and is finally rusticated. However, this boy joins politics because he sees a large scope to rob. Such selective leniency—especially for first-time offenders—sets a dangerous precedent. Unfortunately, Pooja Naik’s case isn’t an isolated one.

Preferential Treatment: When Laws Bend for the Powerful

A former Director General of Police (DGP), Jaspal Singh, found himself in a controversy when he allegedly sanctioned the illegal demolition of a house without court orders. Instead of facing due process, Singh was quickly transferred out of Goa—an exit seemingly orchestrated to sidestep legal repercussions. The question is simple: if shielding allies from accountability isn’t corruption, then what is?

Similarly, when allegations of a land scam surfaced against Goa’s former Chief Secretary Puneet Goel, he was hurriedly transferred from the state. Allegedly, Goel manipulated zoning laws to benefit himself, reclassifying agricultural land to settlement zone and then purchasing it. Yet, despite the gravity of these accusations, he was spared from prosecution. This selective justice reflects not only favoritism but a willingness to look the other way for those in the inner circle.

The Kala Academy Debacle: A Case Study in Cronyism

Perhaps the most glaring example of administrative neglect and corruption is the botched renovation of the iconic Kala Academy, where Rs. 56 crore of public money was

poured into repairs that barely lasted. The academy’s open-air auditorium roof collapsed, green room mirrors came crashing down, and sections of the false ceiling fell apart. These were not mere construction mishaps but consequences of a flawed process that allowed Art and Culture Minister Govind Gaude to hand-pick contractors without even issuing a public tender.

Though the Directorate of Vigilance recommended a technical probe into the renovation irregularities, the Sawant-led government chose to ignore the suggestion. This deliberate oversight shows not only the government’s complicity but Sawant’s own hand in shielding corrupt practices from scrutiny. ‘Smart City’ is another example of corruption, where one can write volumes.

Corruption Runs Deep

The story of Pramod Sawant’s government reads like a guidebook on the many faces of corruption. Bribery, favoritism, nepotism, selective enforcement, and shameless cronyism all find a place under his leadership. Whether it’s allowing allies to escape legal consequences, evading recommended investigations, or neglecting the most basic of accountability measures, Sawant’s administration has proven that corruption doesn’t merely exist on its fringes—it thrives in its highest ranks.

So, when Pramod Sawant claims to be fighting corruption, it’s hard to take him seriously. Goa deserves a government that confronts corruption head-on, not one that uses it as a tool to serve personal agendas.