PANJIM: Several thousand mourners thronged the streets of Panjim to pay tributes to the departed political stalwart and Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, who breathed his last on Sunday evening. The four-time chief minister was cremated with full military honours and firing of a 21-gun salute by soldiers at Miramar as tears rolled down the eyes of the people who bid final goodbye to their beloved Bhai.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defense Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, and other union ministers such as Suresh Prabhu, Nitin Gadkari and Smriti Irani were among a galaxy of political leaders who arrived in Goa to pay respect to their former colleague. Parrikar served as Defense Minister from November 2014-March 2017. Goa Governor Mridula Sinha, Archbishop of Goa and Daman Filip Neri Ferrao and members of Muslim religious group also paid their tribute to Parrikar.
The funeral procession of the 63-year-old veteran began from his residence at Dona Paula at around 9:50am with thousands joining the cortege to bid him a fond farewell. En route, many people tried to catch a glimpse of their popular leader while the scene was no different at the party office, where his remains were kept for public viewing for over an hour. The area outside the office was packed with people many of them waiting since early hours.
The body, wrapped in tricolor was brought in a flower-decked military truck to the BJP head office in Panjim where a pall of gloom descended. Several hundred Parrikar and BJP supporters turned emotional when his mortal remains reached the venue at around 10:15am. The mourners shouted pro-Parrikar slogans like “Manohar Bhai Amar Rahe” and “Manohar Bhai Ki Jai.”
Huge police force was deployed in and around the venue to ensure security and peace. The police personnel were also stationed in each apartment located opposite the BJP office. As crowd was increasing, eagerness among the mourners also soared as some of them tried to break the barricades to take a last glimpse of their favourite leader. Some of them even tried to jump the long queue. The armed police force was quick to bring the situation under control and let the people inside the venue where Parrikar’s mortal remains were kept.
Besides some ruling legislators like Mauvin Godinho (minister), Alina Saldanha, etc, City Mayor Uday Madkaikar and city corporators were amongst many others who arrived at the BJP office to pay their tribute to the political strategist. Wife and daughter of former deputy chief minister Francis D’Souza, who recently passed away, prayed by the mortal remains of the CM.
Earlier, Ministry of Home Affairs joint secretary S K Shahi, in an order issued on Sunday, said the Ministry of Defence had been requested to make arrangements for state funeral with full military honours.
