Vishwajit Rane said Manohar Parrikar worked till his last 10 days, when he became really unwell.
Highlights
- Goa minister narrated incident to show Manohar Parrikar's dedication
- Vishwajit Rane described how Mr Parrikar signed file from hospital
- Manohar Parrikar, 63, died at son's home in Panaji after battling cancer
Two months ago, Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar had said that he will serve Goa until his last breath. It was a promise he tried his best to keep.
Shortly after the 63-year-old BJP leader died of pancreatic cancer on Sunday, Goa Minister Vishwajit Rane told NDTV that "there cannot be another Manohar Parrikar". He cited a recent instance to illustrate how dedicated the four-time Chief Minister was to his job.
"Despite being unwell, despite having tubes and bags attached to his body, he continued working. But I never really understood the extent of his dedicaton until I went to visit him in the hospital recently," Mr Rane said.
According to the Goa Minister, he had taken with him a file on hospital care and nutrition that required Mr Parrikar's signature. "He called me in from the door, saying that he really wants to sign the file I was carrying," Mr Rane said. "And that was the very last file he signed."
He cited this as a fitting example of how selflessly the BJP leader worked for the state. "When a man who's so close to death calls you into his room and says that he wants to carry on working, it becomes evident that he is somebody who thinks of the poor and people in general," Mr Rane said.
The Goa minister maintained that the late politician's contribution to Goa will never be forgotten. "Although we all knew that Manohar Parrikar was seriously unwell, his death has taken us by shock. The people of Goa will miss him, and there will be a permanent vacuum in Goa politics," he told NDTV.
When asked if Mr Parrikar should have quit active politics and stayed home to recuperate after he was diagnosed with the ailment, the Goa Minister maintained that sheer dedication wouldn't have allowed him to stay away from work anyway. "We were all responsible ministers working under his guidance. Except for the last 10 days, when Manohar Parrikar became really unwell, he was always available to meeting us," he said.
The centre has announced national mourning today.