March 18, 2019
PANAJI: Manohar Parrikar, Chief Minister of Goa, who died on Sunday, was cremated
in Panji on Monday evening with full State honours.
The last rites were performed at Miramar beach where the cremation took place.
Thousands of people thronged Miramar beach in Panaji to bid farewell to the
departed leader.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and several Ministers of the Centre and States
paid their last respects.
A former Defence Minister, Parrikar, who had been suffering from cancer for
over a year, died at his home in Panaji at the age of 63 on Sunday. He had undergone
treatment in the US, Delhi and here.
His body was kept at the BJP head office in the State Capital in the morning
from where it was taken to Kala Academy for the public to pay homage.
The Centre had announced national mourning for Monday. Seven days of State
mourning will be observed in Goa, from March 18 to 24.
Meanwhile, BJP president Amit Shah, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari and
BJP Goa MLAs held a meeting at a hotel in Panaji and selected
Assembly Speaker Pramod Sawant as Parrikar's successor for the Chief
Minister's post. Sudin Dhavalikar and Vijai Sardesai will be Deputy
Chief Ministers. Swearing-in was to take place in the night.
