On Thursday, BJP leader from Velim constituency, Savio Rodrigues, took to Twitter and made an appeal for the New Goa International Airport to be named ‘Manohar Parrikar International Airport’ and not ‘Manohar International Airport’. In his tweet, Rodrigues said, “Until the name of the New Goa Airport is not appropriately named ‘Manohar Parrikar International Airport’ instead of ‘Manohar International Airport’, I will consciously not use the services of the airport”.
He further added that a tribute must not be only in words but in logical and appropriate acts.
“Mr Manohar Parrikar is not just a ‘Manohar’, it is hurtful to Goans. We should never disrespect and allow disrespect for such a great man by calling him ‘Manohar’”, Rodrigues expressed.
This demand is being made not only by Savio but many others after the Goa Assembly adopted the resolution to name the Mopa Airport as the ‘Manohar International Airport’. As the move led to an uproar in the assembly, it was also pointed out that BJP General Secretary and Goa Desk-In-charge, CT Ravi, had publicly assured that the new greenfield airport will be named ‘Manohar Parrikar International Airport’.
The demand to rename the airport was also raised by the Goa Forward Party Chief, Vijai Sardesai, who, after the resolution being adopted alleged in the House, “It seems there is an allergy to the Parrikar name”, and labelled the name to be ‘incomplete’. This statement further escalated the debate in the assembly.
On the other hand, Chief Minister of Goa, Dr Pramod Sawant, told the House that the decision to rename the airport was taken by the Ministry of Civil Aviation.
