Goa CM Manohar Parikkar No More

Goa CM Manohar Parikkar No More

New Delhi/ Panaji: Four time Goa chief minister and former Union Defence Minister Manohar Gopalkrishna Prabhu Parrikar died on Sunday, 17^th March 2019 evening at his home in Dona Paula just over a year after he was detected with cancer. He was 63 (1955-2019).

Parrikar had undergone treatment at several hospitals in the US, Mumbai, Delhi and Goa.
He is survived by two sons. His wife Medha Parrikar died twelve years ago.


Earlier Saturday morning, reports emerged that his health had taken a turn for the worse after his blood pressure reportedly dropped.


BJP leader Siddharth Kuncalienkar who visited the chief minister at his residence revealed that Parrikar was stable but didn’t reply in the affirmative when asked whether he got to speak to the chief minister.


Earlier this week, the BJP admitted that Parrikar would not be ‘in the field’ for the upcoming election campaign but that he would be the guiding force.


On February 26, Parrikar was discharged from the Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) near Panaji.


On January 30, Parrikar had presented the state budget. He was flown to New Delhi the next day for a follow-up treatment at AIIMS.


The BJP’s tallest leader in Goa, Parrikar was sworn in as chief minister for the fourth time on May 14, 2017 after resigning from his post as the Union Defence Minister. His last term as chief minister was cut short when he was given the Defence Ministry portfolio in November 2014.

Manohar Parikar appointed new CM of Goa

Manohar Parikar appointed new CM of Goa

Panaji (Goa): Governor Mridula Sinha on Sunday, 12^th March 2017. appointed Defence Minister  Manohar Parikar as the new Chief Minister of Goa.

Parrikar has been asked to prove majority on the floor of the Goa Legislative Assembly within15 days after administration of oath of office and secrecy, a letter issued by Secretary to the Governor Rupesh Kumar Thakur said.

The letter said that Parrikar had submitted evidence of support of 21 MLAs before the Governor.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has 13 MLAs, is supported by three legislators each of the Goa Forward Party and the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party and two Independent legislators.

According to Union Minister for Roads, Transport, Highways and Shipping Nitin Gadkari, Parrikar will resign as Defence Minister before he takes oath of office as Goa Chief Minister.

Digvijaya Singh accuces: on a day the BJP cobbled up a coalition to stake claim to form the next government in Goa under Manohar Parrikar, Congress leader Digvijaya Singh accused the Defence Minister of "hijacking" the popular mandate.

"It is absolutely wrong on the part of the BJP to grab power when the mandate was given to the Congress by the voters (by virtue of being the single largest party)," AICC General Secretary Digvijaya Singh said.

The BJP has won only 13 seats in the 40-member House as the poll results threw a hung Assembly with the Congress emerging as the single largest party with 17 seats. In 2012 Assembly polls the BJP had won 21 seats.

Journalist hints weapon data present in leaked Scorpene documents

Journalist hints weapon data present

in leaked Scorpene documents

New Delhi : Hours after Indian Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said on Friday, 26^th August 2016 that the leaked information on Scorpene submarines does not contain weapon data, Australian journalist Cameron Stewart, who broke the story, hinted at its presence in the leaked documents.

“When I say we will release a leaked document on Scorpene weapons systems, they will of course be redacted by us of sensitive information (sic),” Steward said in a series of tweets.

“India’s defence minister is wrong to say leaked Scorpene docs do not include weapons info. will release (self-censored) weapons doc Monday.”

In the third tweet, he said The Australian “has not and will not” put on web any document that would “harm India’s national security”.

Parrikar had earlier on Friday said the leaked documents do not contain information on the weapons systems.

“Weapon system agreements are with weapon manufacturers and they are separate agreements.” he said.

Sensitive data related to India’s Scorpene submarines has been leaked from French shipbuilder DCNS, which designed the submarine, comprising documents running over 22,400 pages, according to The Australian.

Navy officials had on Wednesday too downplayed the leak, stating that there was “nothing to get alarmed” about, as the specifications in the documents will not be same as in the submarine to be finally manufactured.-Agency

Invisible hand prevented probe earlier

Invisible hand prevented probe earlier

New Delhi:  Targeting the previous UPA regime over the controversial AgustaWestland deal, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar  on Wednesday, 4^th May 2016 said the ongoing probe will focus on those named in the Italian Court judgement even as he suggested the role of an "invisible hand" in preventing a proper investigation earlier.

He, along with Parliamentary Affairs Venkaiah Naidu, rejected the opposition demand for Supreme Court-monitored probe, protesting which Congress staged a walkout.

Replying to a debate in Rajya Sabha on the controversy surrounding the Rs 3600 crore deal for 12 VVIP helicopters, Parrikar said there was "relentless push" by the UPA to go in for the AgustaWestland choppers.

Narrating amid repeated disruptions the sequence of events related to the deal, he said CBI had registered a case on March 12, 2013 but it did not bother to forward a copy of the FIR to ED for nine months.

Later, ED did not act on the FIR till July 2014, he said.