Goa people's prayers helped me recover: Parrikar

Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar said on Monday that more than medical treatment and willpower, it is the prayers by people from Goa, especially BJP workers, which led to his recovery.

Parrikar, who addressed a meeting of Goa BJP's Mahila Morcha for the first time since his return from the US after getting treated for advanced pancreatic cancer, also flayed the Congress for alleged false and negative publicity about the LPG cylinder price hike.

"For me, to recover from the illness which I suffered. It was just not my willpower and doctor's medication which worked in my favour. What really worked as powerful or more powerful was the massive goodwill of the people of Goa and BJP workers. Their goodwill and their prayers to God created an impact which improved my health, as a result of which I can be among you now," Parrikar told the meeting.

"I know that every woman here and their associates, somewhere or the other, had pleaded with the gods. It was not possible for me to reach everywhere. Therefore, I went to some temples. I thank you for all the prayers," Parrikar said.

Slamming the Congress for raising a hue and cry over the issue of the LPG price hike, Parrikar said the steep hike was only limited to gas cylinders available in the open market, which did not affect the common man.

"The other day, I was checking on prices of cooking gas cylinders... It increased by only Rs 2.71. A gas cylinder is still available for around Rs 495. Only the price of gas cylinders in the open market has increased by around Rs 55. The common man has nothing to do with it," the Chief Minister said.

--IANS

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