NCP demands inquiry into funding for Manohar Parrikar's birthday bash on Dec 13

Panaji: The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Friday demanded an inquiry into the funding of a reception planned to celebrate the birthday of Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on December 13. The BJP, however, has said that the birthday will be a low-key affair and infact it's the people of Goa, who are celebrating it as a token of love for their ex-Chief Minister.

"We demand an inquiry into from where the money being spent on birthday celebrations of Parrikar is coming," NCP Goa Spokesman Trajano D'Mello told reporters here today.

He said Goa Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar has already said that government funds won't be spent on Parrikar's birthday bash.

"Also, Parrikar has appealed to the people not to release any advertisement nor gift flowers on the occasion and instead contribute the money to Chief Minister's Relief Fund for Chennai flood victims. So now the question comes as to from where the funding for the birthday bash is coming," D'Mello said.

He said that it's a "white lie" that the party is not funding the birthday celebrations. "We have come to know that even birthday advertisements are designed in the BJP local office," the NCP leader alleged.

The BJP, however, rubbished the allegations. "It is the people of Goa who want to celebrate birthday of their leader. We have already made it clear that there's no spending from government. It is love of the people of Goa towards Parrikar that has resulted in this celebration," BJP Goa chief Vinay Tendulkar said on Friday.

Parrikar would be turning 60 on December 13. Earlier this week, Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar had said more than 50,000 people will be participating in the celebrations planned in Panaji and Parrikar would be felicitated by his colleagues Rajnath Singh, Arun Jaitley, Nitin Gadkari and Shripad Naik. A 135-member committee has been formed to hold the function, which is touted as one of the biggest birthday bash in Goa ever.