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When cooks of an IIT Bombay hostel went on a flash strike, the mess secretary, along with a group of friends, took charge and prepared a memorable meal for inmates. This stint as mess secretary taught this enterprising student a valuable lesson: Public service is a thankless job. That mess secretary was Manohar Parrikar, the first IITian chief minister and Goa’s tallest politician. The four-time chief minister, who succumbed to cancer last year, dominated Goa politics for two decades, building the state BJP from scratch.
In ‘An Extraordinary Life’, veteran Goan journalists Sadguru Patil and Mayabhushan Nagvenkar, chronicle the life and times of Parrikar, depicting him as a brilliant, charismatic, headstrong leader who failed to live up to expectations. A grocer’s son from Parra village near Mapusa in north Goa, young Manohar had a knack of talking his way out of any difficult situation. At an early age, he was drawn to RSS and had a steady rise. IIT days were spent to hone leadership skills rather than focus on studies.
Power politics
The book is a sympathetic political biography mirroring the quicksand politics of Goa. Between 1990 and 2000, the tiny state saw 13 chief ministers. Based on personal accounts of near and dear ones, RSS contemporaries, IITians, bureaucrats and politicians, the authors build a portrait of Parrikar as an astute leader, quick to understand complex issues, adept in manipulative politics and power hungry, with accomplishments way behind his potential.
Parrikar’s moment came when he mobilised people in a dispute over Ganesh pooja at Mapusa and managed to build a temple there, defying the government. The street fighter in him was instantly noticed by the dominant parties Maharashtravadi Gomantak Party (MGP) and the Congress. When Babri Masjid was demolished, Parrikar was in Ayodhya, leading a team of kar sevaks. He was among the first BJP leaders who projected Narendra Modi as the prime ministerial candidate.
Parrikar targeted Konkani-speaking Marathi newspaper readers and cultivated journalists who began dishing out larger-than-life stories on him. This paid dividend as the MGP supporters gradually veered towards BJP. Marathi papers and RSS contributed most in nurturing his image as Mr Clean, clad in half-sleeved shirts, riding a Yezdi bike or driving a Maruti-800 to his office. He loved Hindi movies, beer and fish. When he entered the electoral arena, his down-to-earth approach endeared him to voters who yearned for a corruption-free government.
It was as an opposition leader that Parrikar built his reputation by taking on many scams including illegal mining that ravaged the scenic landscape of Goa. Another target was the offshore casinos anchored in Mandovi river. Goans were horrified to see Parrikar pandering to these same lobbies after returning to power in 2012. The corrupt thrived. The authors call him master of u-turns as he had swallowed many a pledge made earlier. His carefully nourished image as an anti-corruption crusader crumbled. Parrikar had a love-hate relationship with the media, which he amply used to further his interests. Vindictive and insensitive to criticism, he had no hesitation in slapping cases against journalists. See how he went after Tarun Tejpal of Tehelka...
The Rafale shadow
The controversy over Rafale jet deal cast a shadow on his tenure as Defence Minister. It is widely believed that he was bypassed by the PMO. The biography does not throw any light on Parrikar’s side of the story other than referring to his purported statement in a state cabinet meet. The book gives a vivid account of his tenure as Defence Minister who oversaw the surgical strike in 2016 after a terror attack in Uri. He had an uneasy relationship with Arun Jaitley. Parrikar felt like a fish out of water in Delhi, friendless and lonely, alien to the darbari culture he was used to in Goa.
Parrikar never lost sight of the Hindutva agenda. He cancelled holidays for Gandhi Jayanti and Good Friday, sparking outrage. He also allowed a free run for Sanatan Sanstha involved in bomb blasts and killings of activists. While in power, he was surrounded by a coterie from his own community. Parrikar flattered to deceive. What remains of his legacy are a few infrastructure projects. After raising hopes, he frittered away the opportunity to elevate Goa. The biography adds to the readers’ knowledge of Goa politics. Better editing could have made the volume more readable.