Hero's welcome planned for Parrikar following surgical strikes

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar will be given a hero's welcome on October 4 by the BJP's Goa unit, for playing a key part in the orchestrating of surgical strikes across the LoC by Indian Army, said a party leader.

"Defence Minister is coming to Goa on October 4. All 40 mandal units of the party will be felicitating him by organising a motor cycle rally which will escort him to Panaji from the airport," state Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Vinay Tendulkar said.

"A public programs will be held at 5 p.m. where the state BJP will be felicitating him," he said.

The cause for the public felicitation, Tendulkar told IANS, was the "surgical strikes" which Parrikar's ministry had ordered against terror camps across the Line of Control (LoC) in the early hours of September 29 in which, the Indian Army claimed, a large number of terrorists waiting to infiltrate India were killed.

Tendulkar also said that other national leaders of the BJP were also being invited for the felicitation.

Ever since he became Defence Minister, Parrikar, a former Goa Chief Minister has been accused of constantly visiting his home state and dabbling in local politics.

--IANS

maya/pgh/vd