Goa govt cites Steve Jobs, says mere diagnosis of cancer not enough to ask Parrikar to resign
Panaji, Dec 13: The Goa government has told the 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 drive home its point.
State Advocate General Dattaprasad Lawande Wednesday told a division bench of Justices R M Borde and Prithviraj Chavan that the petition seeking bulletin of the chief minister's health was not in good faith as it intends to affect his fundamental rights and the right to his privacy.
Petitioner Trajano D'Mello in his petition filed earlier this month had sought directions to state Chief Secretary Dharmendra Sharma to evaluate the health condition of Parrikar by forming a panel of expert doctors and 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 battling 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.
Parrikar has been ailing since mid-February. He has been treated at different hospitals including those in Goa, Mumbai and the US. He is currently undergoing treatment at his residence.
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India-Oman free trade pact to give new energy to bilateral relations: PM Modi
Muscat (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between India and Oman will give new confidence and energy to the bilateral relations.
Speaking at the India-Oman Business Summit here, the visiting Prime Minister said the summit will give a new direction to the India-Oman partnership.
"Today, we are taking such a historic decision, the echo of which will be heard for many decades to come. Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement that is, CEPA, will give our partnership new confidence and new energy in the 21st century," the prime minister said.
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He said India’s nature has always been progressive and self-driven.
Whenever India grows, it helps its friends grow as well, Modi said and added India is progressing towards becoming the world’s third-largest economy.
"This is beneficial for the entire world. However, it is even more beneficial for Oman because, in addition to being close friends, we are also maritime neighbours. Our people know each other well. We have generations of trust in our business relations, and we understand each other’s markets very well," he said.
Modi invited companies from Oman to become partner in the growth story. He said India's economy is growing at a high rate because over the past 11 years, India has not just changed policies, but has also changed its economic DNA.
He informed the gathering about the reforms, including GST and IBC, India has implemented in the recent years.
Modi arrived here on Wednesday on a two-day visit.
India-Oman bilateral trade was about USD 10.5 billion (exports USD 4 billion and imports USD 6.54 billion) in 2024-25.
#WATCH | Muscat, Oman: At the India-Oman Business Summit, PM Narendra Modi says, "Today, we are making a historic decision whose echo will be heard for decades to come. The Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) will fill us with new trust and new energy in the 21st… pic.twitter.com/NkJNADb8Rn
— ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2025
