Goa activists to step up protests for ailing CM Manohar Parrikar's resignation

PANAJI: A civil society group demanding the resignation of Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar owing to his ill-health on Saturday decided to intensify their agitation.

RTI Activist Rajan Ghate has been on an indefinite hunger strike since the last nine days at the Azad Maidan here demanding Parrikar's resignation.

Parrikar, 62, was shifted to his private residence at Dona Paula near here on October 14, after he was discharged from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi.

Parrikar has been absent from his office for a long time due to failing health.

The group of civil society members under the banner of "Citizens for Restoration of Governance in Goa" held a public meeting at the protest site.

"We have now decided to protest at the public functions attended by Union ministers and also State Governor Mridula Sinha, who has refused to exercise her power and get CM resigned from the post," said Aires Rodrigues, who is spearheading the movement. 

Ealier on Tuesday, hundereds of people, including some Congress leaders, marched to the CM's private residence demanding his resignation, and a "full-time" CM in his place.

The people, who came together under the banner of 'People's March For Restoration of Governance', marched for about 1 km, and gave an "ultimatum" of 48 hours to Parrikar to step down as the CM.

Apart from the Congress, other political parties including NCP and Shiv Sena also extended support to the protest march, which was initiated by social activists and NGOs.

The protesters demanded Parrikar step down as the chief minister as he has been unwell.

They said the governance in the state had suffered as Parrikar was ill and remained hospitalised for more than nine months.

The police stopped the protest march 100 metres from the chief minister's private residence.

Talking to reporters, Deputy Collector Shashank Tripathy said the CM refused to meet the protesters due to his ill-health.

On behalf of the protestors, Aires Rodrigues, social activist and the leader of the protest march, publicly gave an "ultimatum" of 48 hours to the CM to step down.

"We need a full-time CM. For the last nine months, the state administration has collapsed. The CM is not meeting his own ministers and MLAs," Rodrigues said.

He said the people who marched to the CM's residence had also come to check on his health condition.

Rodrigues warned of launching a state-wide agitation in case Parrikar does not step down within 48 hours.

Congress leaders, including the party's Goa unit chief Girish Chodankar, Leader of Opposition Chandrakant Kavlekar, MLAs Digambar Kamat, Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco, Antonio Fernandes, Francis Silveira took part in the march.

The Goa unit chief of Shiv Sena Jitesh Kamat said, "The people of the state are praying for the speedy recovery of the CM, but that does not mean he should continue to put the state administration on hold."

Health Minister Vishwajit Rane had earlier said Parrikar was suffering from pancreatic cancer.