A screengrab of the viral video of Rane reprimanding CMO Dr. Rudresh Kuttikar. (image-screengrab/INCGoa)
Panaji, Goa: The Goa Association of Resident Doctors (GARD) on Sunday issued a 48-hour ultimatum to state Health Minister Vishwajit Rane, demanding a public apology for what they called “public humiliation” of a senior doctor at Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMCH). They warned that failure to meet their demands would lead to an indefinite strike.
The controversy erupted after a video of Rane’s surprise visit to GMCH’s casualty ward on Saturday went viral. In the footage, Rane is seen reprimanding Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr. Rudresh Kuttikar, allegedly for refusing to treat a patient and misbehaving.
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“You learn to control your tongue. You are a doctor… you have to behave yourself,” Rane is heard saying, before ordering the doctor’s suspension on the spot. He, then, turned to GMCH medical superintendent Dr Rajesh Patil and said, “Replace him with another CMO. I want him to be suspended immediately… ”
The incident drew widespread criticism from medical associations and political parties alike. The Indian Medical Association (IMA) Goa branch condemned Rane’s actions and demanded Dr. Kuttikar’s reinstatement. Opposition parties, including the Congress, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), and the Revolutionary Goans Party, slammed Rane for “political high-handedness and public arrogance”.
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On Sunday, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant weighed in, stating on social media that Dr. Kuttikar would not be suspended.
Despite this assurance, GARD outlined several demands: the formal revocation of the suspension order, a public apology from Rane, a ban on filming inside emergency wards, and an end to what they called “political bullying in hospitals”.
“Barring swift resolution in 48 hours, we will be forced to escalate our mass protests in the form of a strike,” GARD said in a press statement on Sunday.
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Responding to the backlash, Vishwajit Rane admitted his tone may have been harsh. “Yes, as the health minister, I did intervene and I accept that my tone and words could have been more measured. I am not above reflection or criticism. However, I will not apologise,” he said, as quoted by The New Indian Express.
The GMCH, located at Bambolim, is a state-run hospital with more than 1,000 beds. It provides medical services to patients from Goa as well as from nearby areas of Maharashtra and Karnataka.
