Manoj Parab

Indian politician and entrepreneur (born 1985)

Manoj Parab
Parab during the MWDT protest in 2017
Party chief of Revolutionary Goans Party
Incumbent
Assumed office
1 January 2022
Preceded byOffice established
President of Revolutionary Goans Party
Incumbent
Assumed office
July 2022
Preceded byViresh Borkar[1]
Personal details
Born
Tukaram Bharat Parab

(1985-08-18) 18 August 1985 (age 39)
Pirna, Goa, India
Political partyRevolutionary Goans Party (since 2022)[a]
Other political
affiliations		Aam Aadmi Party (2016–2017)
Spouse
Veena Parab
​
(m. 2022)​
Residence(s)Pirna, Goa, India[2]
Alma materGoa University (MSc)
Occupation
Manoj Parab's voice
Parab talking about Art and Culture Minister Govind Gaude, in response to the latter's video.
Recorded 22 March 2020

Tukaram Bharat "Manoj" Parab (born 18 August 1985) is an Indian politician, former geologist, and activist[3] who serves as the party chief and president of the Revolutionary Goans Party (RGP), a non-governmental organization he founded in March 2017, which received recognition as a political party from the Election Commission of India in 2022.[4]

Prior to forming the NGO, Parab joined the Aam Aadmi Party as a member before the 2017 Goa Legislative Assembly election.[5] He subsequently left to form the Revolutionary Goans on 3 March 2017, along with seven founding members,[6] including Viresh Borkar and Vishwesh Naik, whom he had met during his involvement with the Aam Aadmi Party.[7]

Early life

Manoj Parab, originally named Tukaram Bharat Parab,[8] was born on 18 August 1985 in the village of Pirna, Goa.[9] His father, Borot Panduronga Porobo (also spelled as Bharat Panduronga Parab),[citation needed] was a tabla craftsman and repairer, as well as a businessman.[10] Parab's paternal grandparents, Panduronga Crisna Porobo, originated from the village of Revora, while Rucmin hailed from Salem, Bicholim. Both of them worked as farmers. Eventually, the family relocated to Pirna, Goa when Parab's father was born.[citation needed] Parab pursued his early education at a Catholic school before pursuing further studies. In 2008, he successfully completed his Master of Science degree in Geology from Goa University.[11]

Following his graduation, Parab joined various companies operated by local mining magnates such as the Timblos, Salgaocars, and Vedanta Resources. However, seeking improved remuneration, Parab decided to relocate away from Goa. Consequently, he found employment on offshore oil rigs located in Mumbai and Gujarat.[10]

Political career

2022 Goa Legislative Assembly election

On 14 January 2022, the Revolutionary Goans Party officially announced Parab as their designated candidate for the position of Chief Minister in the 2022 Goa Legislative Assembly election. Parab was selected to contest the election from two constituencies, Valpoi and Tivim. He stated that his decision to run from Tivim was motivated by two factors: firstly, it holds personal significance as his place of upbringing and his ancestral village, and secondly, he expressed concerns about the actions of the BJP, which he believed were having a detrimental impact on the state of Goa.[12]

Parab along with Curtorim MLA Reginaldo and environmentalist Claude Alvares at 2017 MWDT protest

Parab's electoral campaigns in both Tivim and Valpoi constituencies were unsuccessful. In Tivim, he secured the third position in terms of vote count share, losing to the two-term BJP candidate Nilkanth Halarnkar by a margin of 4,363 votes. Similarly, in Valpoi, he obtained the second position but lost to the five-term BJP candidate Vishwajit Pratapsingh Rane by a margin of 8,085 votes.[13]

Political analyst Prakash Kamat expressed reservations about some of Parab's ideas, suggesting that they may not align with constitutional principles. For example, Kamat highlighted Parab's POGO Bill, which advocates granting exclusive rights to Goans. He further added that Parab has managed to generate enthusiasm among the people, as evidenced by his significant vote share. This has discussions for Parab to be taken seriously as a political figure.[5]

Parab during a public meeting, 2020

In March 2022, Parab outlined the strategic objectives of his party to enhance its presence within the 40-member house by 2027. The party planned to participate in various elections in Goa. In pursuit of this goal, Parab sought the guidance and mentorship of individuals from diverse backgrounds.[14]

Personal life

In a 2022 interview with Outlook, Parab recounted his personal experience, highlighting the challenges faced by many Goans when it comes to property ownership. He mentioned that he and his family had been residing in the census town of Colvale on a rental basis for around 20–25 years before relocating to Bicholim, where they acquired their own apartment. Parab expressed a sense of sadness regarding this aspect of his journey, emphasizing that his story resonates with numerous Goans who encounter difficulties in purchasing property. As residents of Goa, they are often constrained to renting accommodations or frequently changing their place of residence.[10]

On 9 December 2022, Parab married Veena Parab (née Asolkar),[citation needed] a homemaker,[8] in a private ceremony.[citation needed]

Notes

  1. ^ Parab established the NGO Revolutionary Goans on 3 March 2017, but it was not until 1 January 2022 that the organization was officially registered as a political party. Therefore, his association with it began in 2022, not 2017.

References

  1. ^ "Meet the visionary minds behind Revolutionary Goan Party". RGP Official. 12 July 2023. Archived from the original on 31 July 2023. Retrieved 28 November 2023.
  2. ^ "HC quashes notice issued by deputy collector". The Navhind Times. 9 February 2021.
  3. ^ Kamat, Prakash (30 December 2017). "Opposition to Parrikar's letter grows". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Archived from the original on 28 November 2023. Retrieved 28 November 2023.
  4. ^ "Finally, EC recognises RG as political party". The Goan EveryDay. Archived from the original on 8 June 2023. Retrieved 28 November 2023.
  5. ^ a b Kumar, Krishna (12 March 2022). "Manoj Parab's Revolutionary Goans rides local sentiment to win third highest vote share in Goa". The Economic Times. ISSN 0013-0389. Archived from the original on 10 May 2022. Retrieved 28 November 2023.
  6. ^ "Politics of Revolutionary Goans Party". The Navhind Times. 14 March 2022. Archived from the original on 29 November 2023. Retrieved 28 November 2023.
  7. ^ "Inspired by freedom fighter grandfather, Viresh Borkar chose revolutionary path". The Times of India. 19 March 2022. ISSN 0971-8257. Archived from the original on 13 August 2023. Retrieved 28 November 2023.
  8. ^ a b "Tukaram Bharat Parab(Revolutionary Goans Party):Constituency- VALPOI(NORTH GOA) - Affidavit Information of Candidate". myneta.info. Archived from the original on 15 August 2022. Retrieved 28 November 2023.
  9. ^ "NORTH GOA RGP LS CANDIDATE: MANOJ PARAB". The Goan EveryDay. Archived from the original on 3 April 2024. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
  10. ^ a b c Nagvenkar, Mayabhushan (18 February 2022). "Shifting The Goalposts: A Young Politician's Battle To Save Goa And Its Way Of Life". Outlook. Archived from the original on 21 September 2023. Retrieved 28 November 2023.
  11. ^ Phadke, Manasi (18 March 2022). "We are fire, but not 'Raj Thackeray': The Revolutionary Goans who outdid AAP, TMC in state poll". ThePrint. Archived from the original on 29 March 2023. Retrieved 28 November 2023.
  12. ^ Franco, Velanie (14 January 2022). "Manoj Parab declared RG's chief minister candidate". Gomantak Times. Archived from the original on 23 January 2022. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
  13. ^ "Goa General Legislative Election 2022". Election Commission of India. Retrieved 17 May 2022.
  14. ^ "RG eyes 2027, aims to contest all polls in Goa". The Times of India. 13 March 2022. ISSN 0971-8257. Archived from the original on 2 May 2022. Retrieved 1 December 2023.