Team Herald
PANJIM: Manohar Parrikar who was on a project inaugurating spree interspersed with meetings with Goa officials was asked by the Prime Minister Modi to do his ‘raj dharma’ (national duty)- to be with defence personal injured in a devastating fire at a military ammunition depot in Maharashtra, where several others were killed.
“I pray that those who are injured recover quickly. Have asked RM @manoharparrikar to visit the spot and take stock of the situation,” Modi tweeted in the morning.
However, his camp here maintains that the Defence Minister left for Pune in the morning after he heard the news and would be returning back in 24 hours. He arrived in Goa on Sunday afternoon, and addressed a meeting in Ponda. On Monday, Goa Statehood Day, he inaugurated two major projects – Solid Waste Treatment facility for North Goa and the Mediclaim scheme Deen Dayal Swasthya Seva Yojana.
Despite facing political criticism for his prolonged sojourns in the coastal state, Parrikar continues to spend his weekends in Goa. He has been tagged “Super CM” by the opposition, who claim he visits the State to clear files.
This is not the first instance when Parrikar was present in Goa when a massive tragedy occurred elsewhere. The Rajya Sabha MP from UP was in his Goa during the Pathankot attack in January.
