Likes of Manohar Parrikar should multiply in Indian Politics
Yesterday, I was at Veer Savarkar Memorial at Shivaji Park, Mumbai to attend a very lively discussion between Manohar Parrikar, Chief minister of Goa and two eminent journalists Shankar Aiyer of India Today and Freelancer Ex Loksatta Shubhada Chaukar under the auspicious of Generation Next.
Before I share some interesting parts of deliberation, you should know little bit about the man. As per Wikipedia :
"Manohar Gopalkrishna Prabhu Parrikar (Konkani: मनोहर गोपाळ कृष्ण प्रभु पर्रीकार ) was born on 13th December 1955 at Mapusa, Goa. He is the Chief Minister of the state of Goa, from 9 March 2012.
He completed his secondary education in Marathi and went on to graduate in metallurgical engineering from IIT Bombay in 1978. He is the first IIT graduate to become the Chief Minister of any Indian state. He was awarded by IIT Bombay with the Distinguished Alumnus Award in 2001. Manohar Parrikar and Nandan Nilekani Chairman of the new Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI former CEO Infosys Technologies Ltd have graduated together from IIT Bombay in the year 1978.He is a member of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and is the first Chief Minister of Goa from his party. He was first elected to the Second Legislative Assembly of the State of Goa in 1994. He was the leader of the opposition from June to November 1999. He became the Chief Minister of Goa for the first time on 24 October 2000, but his tenure lasted only till 27 February 2002. On 5 June 2002, he was re-elected and became the Chief Minister again.On 29 January 2005, his government was reduced to a minority in the assembly after four BJP MLAs resigned from the House. However, Parrikar proved his majority in the house by February 2005. In 2007, Parrikar led BJP was defeated in the Goa state elections by the Indian National Congress led by Digambar Kamat. His party became victorious once again after the BJP and allies won 24 seats against INC's 9 seats in the Goa Assembly Elections held in March 2012."
Beside, Manohar Parrikar has set up certain new standards for political class. For example he prefers to travel in an ordinary car without any red light, which has become an status symbol for our political class. He prefers not to accompany security paraphernalia such as a large fleet of cars and big security cover. He travels in economy class when he flies.One should not be surprised to see him on riding scooter chatting with Aam admi.
Asked about rational behind removing the large security entourage and thereby enhancing security threat for his life, he says that the threats can be countered by the security inputs not by the security cover.
Beside being honest, he also mean business. He has vision for developing his state and putting it on the forefront of development. His IIT networking and connections have helped to bring companies with advanced technology to invest as well as start their new ventures in Goa.
Parrikar has seriously worked on changing face of education in Goa, networking schools in remote areas virtually and by providing laptops/ PCs to every student in class 11 and above irrespective of caste or religion.He is also aware about dwindling balance between male and female population. He has launched a scheme Ladli Laxmi to address the problem. The day a girl attains 18 year's age in Goa , one lac rupees are credited in her account, the amount may be utilize by her to start a business or to use it as a pin money at the time of her marriage.
He is fully aware about weakness in his own party BJP and he does not hide. But his honest intention has helped him to pursue his developmental agenda.
He may not be the first or the only politician in Indian politics to set up such example but now the people of India earnestly wish that likes of Parrikar should multiply with a faster pace.
He completed his secondary education in Marathi and went on to graduate in metallurgical engineering from IIT Bombay in 1978. He is the first IIT graduate to become the Chief Minister of any Indian state. He was awarded by IIT Bombay with the Distinguished Alumnus Award in 2001. Manohar Parrikar and Nandan Nilekani Chairman of the new Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI former CEO Infosys Technologies Ltd have graduated together from IIT Bombay in the year 1978.He is a member of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and is the first Chief Minister of Goa from his party. He was first elected to the Second Legislative Assembly of the State of Goa in 1994. He was the leader of the opposition from June to November 1999. He became the Chief Minister of Goa for the first time on 24 October 2000, but his tenure lasted only till 27 February 2002. On 5 June 2002, he was re-elected and became the Chief Minister again.On 29 January 2005, his government was reduced to a minority in the assembly after four BJP MLAs resigned from the House. However, Parrikar proved his majority in the house by February 2005. In 2007, Parrikar led BJP was defeated in the Goa state elections by the Indian National Congress led by Digambar Kamat. His party became victorious once again after the BJP and allies won 24 seats against INC's 9 seats in the Goa Assembly Elections held in March 2012."
Beside, Manohar Parrikar has set up certain new standards for political class. For example he prefers to travel in an ordinary car without any red light, which has become an status symbol for our political class. He prefers not to accompany security paraphernalia such as a large fleet of cars and big security cover. He travels in economy class when he flies.One should not be surprised to see him on riding scooter chatting with Aam admi.
He had made a big dhamaka by reducing the cost of Petrol almost by Rs.11/- per litre and thus tried to arrest the rising prices, has shown way to many other states
This is a fact that he has not been able to control or check corruption in his government or party of state unit in the absolute term but setting his own examples and benchmarks, he has compelled the political class to think about the people and do an honest introspection.There have been instances when he was asked to wait or to show his credentials by security personnel at five star hotel as he was without the escort or the protocol staff, but he did not mind frisking or security check.Asked about rational behind removing the large security entourage and thereby enhancing security threat for his life, he says that the threats can be countered by the security inputs not by the security cover.
Beside being honest, he also mean business. He has vision for developing his state and putting it on the forefront of development. His IIT networking and connections have helped to bring companies with advanced technology to invest as well as start their new ventures in Goa.
Parrikar has seriously worked on changing face of education in Goa, networking schools in remote areas virtually and by providing laptops/ PCs to every student in class 11 and above irrespective of caste or religion.He is also aware about dwindling balance between male and female population. He has launched a scheme Ladli Laxmi to address the problem. The day a girl attains 18 year's age in Goa , one lac rupees are credited in her account, the amount may be utilize by her to start a business or to use it as a pin money at the time of her marriage.
He is fully aware about weakness in his own party BJP and he does not hide. But his honest intention has helped him to pursue his developmental agenda.
He may not be the first or the only politician in Indian politics to set up such example but now the people of India earnestly wish that likes of Parrikar should multiply with a faster pace.
-pradeep gupta
+91-9920205614 
Pradeepbhai,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the lucid commentary above. Please give me a shout on 0044-7906651522 when you are in London & we can meet up to plan on further strategy :-)
Dr Anand Virgincar
Oxford, UK