Ajit Pawar caught unawares during early morning inspection

Maharashtra's Ajit Pawar awkwardly asked "Who Parrikar?" when reminded of late Goa CM Manohar Parrikar's governance style during a citizen interaction.

Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar found himself in an awkward situation Sunday morning after responding with “Who Parrikar?” when a citizen referred to the late Goa chief minister and defence minister Manohar Parrikar, known for his surprise inspections and hands-on style of governance.

His visits — often sudden and without prior intimation — are known to put government officials on alert as they are expected to address complaints immediately. (HT)

Pawar, accompanied by Pune municipal commissioner Naval Kishore Ram and other civic officials, was touring different localities in the city to hear grievances directly from residents. During his stop at Keshav Nagar and Mundhwa in the Hadapsar constituency, residents highlighted persistent issues of traffic congestion and inadequate civic facilities. Pawar acknowledged the demands and assured them that the administration was working to resolve the problems swiftly. He also apologised for arriving late for the interaction. At that point, a woman urged Pawar to emulate the late Parrikar’s practice of personally inspecting problem areas. “Just like Parrikar Saheb used to carry out surprise visits in Goa, you or someone from your team should come here during peak traffic hours,” she suggested. Caught unawares, Pawar asked, “Who Parrikar?”, prompting the woman to explain that she was referring to the former Goa chief minister and defence minister. The woman further said that residents are so frustrated with the traffic snarls that many are even considering relocating.

In the past too, Pawar has often stepped out early in the morning to inspect civic work. His visits — often sudden and without prior intimation — are known to put government officials on alert as they are expected to address complaints immediately.

Meanwhile Parrikar, an IIT-Bombay graduate, was admired for his simplicity and accessibility. Reports of him travelling across Goa on his scooter to check issues firsthand became part of his public persona. He served three terms as Goa’s chief minister and was India’s defence minister from 2014 to 2017 before succumbing to cancer in 2019. The Manohar International Airport in Mopa, Goa, and the Institute of Defence Studies and Analyses in Delhi are named after him.