Goa: Hundreds including Congress leaders march to ailing Parrikar’s home; asks to step down

Demanding the resignation of ailing Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, hundreds of people including several Congress leaders, social activists and NGOs on Tuesday marched to his private residence.

The protest march which was initiated by social activists and NGOs included several leaders of Congress, NCP and Shiv Sena. The protesters demanded Mr Parrikar step down as the chief minister as he has been unwell.

It is to be noted that the people, who came together under the banner of ‘People’s March For Restoration of Governance’, marched for about 1 km, and gave an “ultimatum” of 48 hours to Manohar Parrikar to step down as the chief minister. The protesters said that the governance in the state had suffered as Manohar Parrikar was ill and remained hospitalised for more than nine months.

However, the Goa police stopped the protest march 100 metres from the chief minister’s private residence. While interacting with reporters, Deputy Collector Shashank Tripathy said the chief minister refused to meet the protesters due to his ill-health.

On the other hand, Aires Rodrigues, social activist and the leader of the protest march, publicly gave an “ultimatum” of 48 hours to CM Parrikar to step down.

“We need a full-time CM. For the last nine months, the state administration has collapsed. The CM is not meeting his own ministers and MLAs,” Aires Rodrigues added.

He further noted that the people who marched to the chief minister’s residence had also come to check on his health condition. He also warned of launching a state-wide agitation in case Parrikar does not step down within 48 hours.

Congress leaders, including the party’s Goa unit chief Girish Chodankar, Leader of Opposition Chandrakant Kavlekar, MLAs Digambar Kamat, Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco, Antonio Fernandes, Francis Silveira took part in the march.

Meanwhile, the Goa unit chief of Shiv Sena Jitesh Kamat said, “The people of the state are praying for the speedy recovery of the CM, but that does not mean he should continue to put the state administration on hold.”

Parrikar is in an advanced stage of pancreatic cancer and is resting at his Dona Paula residence in Goa. He hasn’t attended his office at Porvorim since June and had been shuttling between New York, New Delhi and Goa for treatment. Importantly, there has been a constant chatter about a change in leadership in the state but the BJP has consistently ruled it out.

Also Read: Goa Congress: BJP not removing Parrikar fearing he may reveal secrets of Rafale deal