Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar will not be celebrating his birthday in public.
Ailing Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar turns 63 today. Wishes for his birthday and speedy recovery have started pouring in on micro-blogging site Twitter. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his birthday wish for the leader, called him "compassionate, down-to-earth and hardworking".
"Birthday greetings to my friend and Goa's CM @manoharparrikar Ji. Parrikar Ji is known for his compassionate, down to earth and hardworking nature. He is extremely passionate about Goa's development. The entire nation prays for Parrikar Ji's good health," PM Modi tweeted.
BJP President Amit Shah, Union Minister Suresh Prabu also tweeted birthday wishes for the minister and wished him a speedy recovery.
Mr Parrikar has been recuperating at his home in Dona Paula after he got discharged from Delhi's All India Institute of Medical Sciences in October.
Since the doctors have advised him rest, the minister will not be celebrating his birthday in public. His party, the BJP, has, however decided to organise a special prayer at Mahalaxmi Temple in Panaji and a blood donation camp to mark this day.
"There will be celebrations with special children from two schools - Disha Trust and People's School for Special Children. Mr Parrikar had been visiting these schools on his birthday without fail," Goa BJP spokesman Kunkolienkar told news agency PTI.
This will be the first time Mr Parrikar will not be celebrating his birthday in public after becoming an MLA over two decades ago.