Manoj Parab
Indian politician and activist (born 1985)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Tukaram Bharat "Manoj" Parab (born 18 August 1985) is an Indian politician, activist,[3] and former geologist 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]
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18 August 1985
Manoj Parab | |
|---|---|
Parab during the MWDT protest in 2017 | |
| Party chief of Revolutionary Goans Party | |
| Assumed office 24 November 2021[1] | |
| Preceded by | Office established |
| President of Revolutionary Goans Party | |
| Assumed office 10 March 2022 | |
| Preceded by | Viresh Borkar[2] |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Tukaram Bharat Parab 18 August 1985 Pirna, Goa, India |
| Party | Revolutionary Goans Party (since 2021) |
| Other political affiliations | Aam Aadmi Party (2016–2017) |
| Spouse |
Veena Parab (m. 2022) |
| Alma mater | Goa University (MSc) |
| Occupation |
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| Signature |  |
| Website | facebook |
Prior to forming the NGO, Parab joined the Aam Aadmi Party as a member in February 2016, ahead of the 2017 Goa Legislative Assembly election.[5][6] He subsequently left to form the Revolutionary Goans (RG) on 3 March 2017, along with seven founding members,[7] including Viresh Borkar and Vishvesh Naik, whom he had met during his involvement with the Aam Aadmi Party.[8]
Early life
Tukaram Bharat Parab[9] was born on 18 August 1985 in Pirna, Goa to Bharat and Chandralekha Parab.[5] His father, Bharat, was a tabla craftsman and repairer, as well as a businessman.[10] Parab completed his early education at a Catholic school before pursuing further studies. In 2008, he completed his Master of Science degree in Geology from Goa University.[11]
Following his graduation, Parab joined various local mining companies as a geologist, including Timblo, 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][5]
Political career
2022 Goa Legislative Assembly election
On 14 January 2022, Parab was designated the chief ministerial candidate for the 2022 Goa Legislative Assembly election. He contested the election from two constituencies, Valpoi and Tivim. Parab stated that his decision to contest from Tivim was motivated by two factors: firstly, it held personal significance as his place of upbringing and his ancestral village, and secondly, he expressed concerns about the actions of the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP), which he believed were having a detrimental impact on the state of Goa.[12]
Parab's electoral campaigns in both the constituencies were unsuccessful. In Tivim, he secured the third position, 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 Rane by a margin of 8,085 votes.[13]
Post Assembly election (2022–present)
Following the election, Parab outlined the strategic objectives of his party to enhance its presence by 2027. He sought the mentorship of individuals from diverse backgrounds.[14] In the run-up to the 2022 Goa village panchayat elections, Parab articulated the need for contesting elections at the grassroots level to combat systemic issues and eradicate corruption at the village level. He refuted allegations of being responsible for vote division in the assembly election, asserting that he merely provided voters with additional choices. Parab indicated his intention to address the issue of Goan identity through Viresh Borkar in the assembly.[15]
In October 2022, Parab accused the Goa Congress of being affiliated with the BJP after Olencio Simoes, a leader from the Goa Congress, stated that the Congress party had lost ten seats in the Assembly elections due to the Revolutionary Goans Party.[16][17] The same month, Parab made an announcement to engage with leaders from regional parties across the country.[18] He emphasized his party's commitment to its ideology and expressed his intention to reintroduce the POGO Bill in the state legislative assembly after it was deemed unconstitutional by the Government of Goa.[19] Parab held meetings with Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) president Raj Thackeray in Mumbai to gain knowledge of their party policies.[20]
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 lived in Colvale on a rental basis for around 20–25 years before relocating to Bicholim, where they purchased their own apartment.[10]
On 9 December 2022, Parab married Veena Parab,[21] a homemaker, in a private ceremony.[22][23]
Assessments
In 2022, political analyst Prakash Kamat expressed reservations about some of Parab's ideologies, suggesting that they may not align with the constitutional principles. 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 in the 2022 Goa Legislative Assembly election. This has led to discussions for Parab to be taken seriously as a political figure.[6]