On Manohar Parrikar, Goa Government's "Steve Jobs" Argument In Court

Panaji: The Goa government has told Bombay High Court that mere diagnosis of cancer does not mean that Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar was not fit enough to handle the state administration, and cited Apple co-founder Steve Jobs’ accomplishments to make its point.

State Advocate General Dattaprasad Lawande on Wednesday told a division bench that the petition seeking bulletin of Mr Parrikar’s health was not in good faith and impinged upon his right to his privacy.

Petitioner Trajano D’Mello had sought directions to state Chief Secretary Dharmendra Sharma to evaluate Mr Parrikar’s health by forming a panel of expert doctors and to release the report in public domain.

Arguing in the court, the state government in its submission said, “Steve Jobs was diagnosed with the same pancreatic cancer. In fact, much of his accomplishments came after his diagnosis.”

“Just the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer is not enough to ask the chief minister to resign from office,” it added.

Steve Jobs died in 2011 after a battle with pancreatic cancer.

The state also informed the high court that the chief minister has been regularly holding meetings with his cabinet colleagues and senior officials and monitoring the administration.

Mr Parrikar has been unwell since mid-February. He has been treated at different hospitals including those in Goa, Mumbai and the US. He is currently being treated at his own house.