Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Manohar Parrikar has taken a ‘U-turn’ on his remark that he quit the role of Defence Minister to become Goa Chief Minister because of the “pressure of issues like Kashmir”.
BJP’s press cell released a statement which said, “this is to clarify that hon(ourable) Chief Minister of Goa Manohar Parrikarji has never given any such statements that he had the pressure of any sort working as Defence minister.”
“Honourable CM as a defence minister was very successful … had the full backing of hon(ourable) PM & the nation,” the BJP statement said.
Reports attributed to me by some news agency regarding my speech at Ambedkar Jayanti is factually incorrect.1/2
— Manohar Parrikar (@manoharparrikar) April 15, 2017
According to the reports published by new agency PTI, ‘at Babasaheb Ambedkar event on April 14, Parrikar said he found the job of defence minister stressful.’
“Pressure of issues like Kashmir while working as Defence Minister (is) one of the reasons why I chose to come back to Goa,” is PTI quoted him as having said.
The BJP’s media cell further said, no PTI reporter was present at the Ambedkar event in Goa.
Parrikar’s comments come at a time there is growing bitterness between civilians and security forces in the Valley. The latest trouble was sparked during the Srinagar by polls when violence broke out.
Manohar Parrikar was Defence Minister from November 2014 until March, when he was sworn in as Goa’s Chief Minister.
