Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar passed away at age of 63 after battling pancreatic cancer. The nation mourns his untimely demise. He was a simple man from Mapusa town of Goa rose to become one of the most powerful. He was a leader with ambition, he joined the RSS as a Tarun Swayamsevak, and by the time he completed his schooling, he was the Chief instructor at one of the Shakhas.
His identity in politics, at least for those beyond the state’s borders, was firmly established as a man who wore half-sleeved shirts for any occasion, even his son’s wedding. A man who wore sandals wherever he went, even to Parliament, and who had no problem hopping on to the back of a two-wheeler.
His direction in politics has been in accordance with the rise of BJP in Goa. He was masked as a skilled politician as he really was.
Union Minister Shripad Naik mentioned that it was Parrikar who built the BJP And the RSS made it what it has become today.
His rule in Goa was the fact that he was able to bestow a distinct Goan identity, which was a class apart from the narrow Hindutva influence in the region.
Sources in his government have revealed that he did possess certain audio files which offered proof against Narendra Modi in the Rafale deal, and also gave him power over the Prime Minister.
Parrikar also played a key role in the 2016 surgical strike, as his colleagues have emphasized, he offered a more humane approach to the strike, he also considered the requirements of the soldiers.
From playing football with the localites, to travelling in public transport, Parrikar led a life much like you and me, unlike most politicians of the country.
Manohar parrikar is one of the best statesmen that India has been blessed with. His modest, yet pragmatic approach to the public administration made him a hero of the masses, a man with few haters. The country has no doubt lost a true leader and a statesman.
