Team Goemkarponn
Panaji: A reputed doctor running a private hospital in Goa was allegedly subjected to humiliation and coercion after being asked to pay ₹25,000 to ensure that a government file related to the hospital was processed.
According to the allegation, the demand was conveyed in a blunt and matter-of-fact manner, with the clear message that the file would not move unless the amount was paid. No explanation or justification was offered, raising serious concerns about corruption at the grassroots level of governance.
Reacting sharply to the incident, social activist Savio Rodrigues said such practices expose how corruption thrives not only in large-scale scams but in routine administrative processes that directly affect citizens.
“A hospital file is not a favour. It is a public duty. Deliberately delaying it is not procedure — it is extortion,” Rodrigues said.
He added that the casual manner in which the alleged demand was made reflects how bribery has become normalised within sections of the system.
“Many professionals pay up not because they accept corruption, but because lives, livelihoods and institutions cannot be put on hold indefinitely,” Rodrigues stated.
Rodrigues warned that if doctors are compelled to bribe merely to run hospitals, the situation of ordinary citizens without influence or access is far worse.
“Corruption in Goa is not abstract. It directly affects healthcare, governance and human dignity. When honest professionals are treated like hostages, the entire system stands exposed,” he said.
