TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: Journalists had a pleasant surprise when Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar invited them for a dinner party at a city hotel on Friday. The media have been at the receiving end of the chief minister’s acerbic tongue lashing on various issues and this time it was to the media’s pleasant surprise he played the genial host speaking informally to media over dinner – his first such effort in more than two-and-half year after assuming office.
Almost by coincidence, the dinner party was a day ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s tea party for journalists in the national capital.
Kebabs, fish fingers, gobi manchurian, soup, variety of salads, rice, dal fry, mutton, butter chicken, different types of desserts were among the food served to the media with chief minister also partaking liberally of the fare.
As he freely interacted with the journalists – who were seen without notepads and cameras, Parrikar was heard laughingly telling a waiter that he wanted non vegetarian as that was his non-veg day.
Also present at the get together were PIB officials and Information and Publicity Department Director Arvind Bugde. Topics ranged from various current issues to stories in the news like the Herald report on Russian molestation and the Nigerian-Goan family fight on the coastal belt.
He also said that there would be a request for housing loans and assured housing for working journalists when requested by Goa Union of Journalist (GUJ) members. He gave an appointment of November 3 to discuss the modalities in detail.
Amidst the interaction, a delegation of BJP workers from a close-by village in Maharasthra, were thrilled to see Parrikar and requested his liaison officer to fix a brief meet. The chief minister readily agreed to meet them. They conversed in Marathi and the excited BJP workers then clicked a photograph with him, returning with smiles.
The conversation between him and the journalists resumed wherein he also shared some lighter moments.
He also made a point that he attends all phone calls while not disturbing the dinner party.
After the dinner, which lasted for about two and half hours, the journalists bid adieu to their host with smiles being the hallmark of the evening.
