A day after former Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar died, a lawmaker of the Nationalist Congress Party raised many an eyebrow, saying the late leader was the “first victim” of Rafale fighter jet deal.
NCP MLA Jintendra Awhad said on Monday that Parrikar, who was the defence minister when the deal was signed, didn't feel right about the agreement and that was the reason he left Delhi and came back to Goa.
Parrikar died of pancreatic cancer at his private residence in Goa on Sunday.
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“Manohar Parrikar was a very educated and well-read person. I think after Rafale deal, he did not feel right so he decided to go back to Goa. He was sad. I should not say this as he is not here today, but I feel he is the first victim of the Rafale deal,” Ahwad said, according an ANI report.
Parrikar quit as the defence minister in 2017 to take up the role of chief minister in Goa when the BJP staked claim to form government after the state elections threw up a hung assembly. It might be noted that Parrikar had reluctantly gave up the post of chief minister in 2014 to become the defence minister.
“He can't be corrupt. But corruption which had occurred pained him. It didn't let him fight his disease and led to his death,” Ahwad further said.
After resigning from the post of defence minister, Parrikar had candidly admitted that the pressure of some key issues was one of the reasons why he opted to quit and return to Goa.
"Delhi is not my area of operations (and) that is why I used to feel under pressure," Parrikar had said.
With the Lok Sabha elections around the corner, the opposition led by the Congress has stepped up its attack on the Narendra Modi government over the alleged corruption in the deal to procure 36 Rafale fighter jets from France.
Last week, the Centre told the Supreme Court that certain documents pertaining to the Rafale deal were stolen from the defence ministry. The top court was hearing a batch of review petitions filed against its earlier verdict refusing to order a probe into the deal.