Team Herald
PANJIM: As the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) is yet to respond to Congress’s appointment with ailing Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, the opposition has questioned the constitutional validity of holding a cabinet meeting at home.
Addressing media persons on Monday, Congress spokesperson Jitendra Deshprabhu said that though Health Minister Vishwajit Rane has finally announced that Chief Minister is suffering from pancreatic cancer, he failed to mention that it is at terminal malignancy stage.
“Even after that if Parrikar can hold a cabinet meeting on October 31 that means he is sound enough to meet the Congress members, who will not like to disturb him but will be satisfied that our Chief Minister is healthy,” he said.
“But then we are not allowed to meet. If the cabinet Ministers and officers, can meet then why not we? Chief Minister is our property also,” Deshprabu commented.
“If they are blocking us from seeing him (Parrikar) then we doubt the very existence of Manohar Parrikar. I don’t think so we are wrong to say that. We are taking this extreme call that CM may not be there at all,” said Congress leader, who had earlier demanded that BJP should either show people the CM is health through video conference or do his final rituals.
He even pointed out that ever since CM has returned to Goa from AIIMS, no one has seen him and no one is aware what the status is. Deshprabhu said the party will soon be filing an application in the court to establish whether CM is fit and health or he is no more. “We are going to court. Senior counsel Subhod Kantak will be appearing for us. We cannot allow anybody to run around falsity,” he said.
Parrikar, who is been ailing since mid February, is currently recuperating at his private residence, after being discharged from AIIMS, Delhi on October 14.
Demanding that a weekly bulletin on Chief Minister’s health be issued, Deshprabhu said that Parrikar, who holds constitutional position, is a property of people of Goa and not of his family. “Hence it is not appropriate to say that only family can release health update as said by Health Minister. Since now it is clear that Parrikar is suffering from pancreatic cancer, a weekly health bulletin to keep people updated, should be released,” he demanded.
Alleging that the cabinet meeting called on October 31 will be chaired by Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to CM, Deshprabhu demanded that there has to be forensic examination of all the signatures done by Chief Minister post his illness and before that.
“OSDs, some who are non-government servant are taking CM for ransom due to his physical and mental condition. They have kept him in house arrest. We have strong doubt that the signatures of CM are forged by his OSDs,” he stated.
He also questioned whether holding cabinet meeting at private residence has constitutional validity. “We strongly oppose this illegal act,” he said reiterating the demand that before cabinet meeting, CM meeting with Congress leaders be fixed so that people know that CM is in position to chair cabinet meet.
Congress leader even said that just because someone is on death bed or is ailing does not mean we are going to praise him and his wrong doings will be with his name forever.
