(This article was first published on 6 December 2018, and has been republished in the wake of Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar’s demise.)
Goa Chief Minister and former Defence Minister Maonhar Parrikar breathed his last on Sunday, 17 March, at his Panaji residence after a long-drawn battle against pancreatice cancer.
Even as politicians and general public gather to pay their respects to Parrikar’s mortal remains, false messages and claims attributed to Parrikar have resurfaced on social media.
CLAIM
A message, viral on Facebook and WhatsApp alike, claims that Goa’s ailing Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar penned an emotional message while in his ‘bedridden stage’.
The message claims:
"👆Manohar Parrikar.... Goa CM ..... suffering from pancreaticcancer.....Currently in US undergoing treatment..... Counting his lastdays...... His emotional message to all. Very touching words...the ultimate truth and reality”
This message was earlier viral in December 2018.
TRUE OR FALSE?
The Goa CMO’s official handle has denied any such letter having been written by Parrikar in the past. On 25 March 2018, the CMO had tweeted:
The purported letter, fashioned as a news clipping, envisioned an emotional Parrikar saying:
“At this critical moment, I have understood there is so much more to life than accumulation wealth and fame…”
LETTER VERY SIMILAR TO JOBS’ FAKE LETTER
The letter is very similar to an earlier letter purportedly written by Steve Jobs when he too was battling cancer. According to Snopes, a letter attributed to Jobs began doing the rounds in 2015. The letter was debunked as fake by the fact-checking website.
Interestingly, one paragraph from the fake letter attributed to Jobs’ read: "Now I know, when we have accumulated sufficient wealth to last our lifetime, we should pursue other matters that are unrelated to wealth…” which is very similar to the earlier quote purportedly written by Parrikar.
Similarly, both letters observe the “green lights from the machines” and the “humming mechanical sounds”. And also that one can “employ drivers, workers, but there will be no one to bear your sickness.”
(Not convinced of a story you came across on social media and want it verified? Send us the details at WebQoof@TheQuint.com and we'll fact-check it for you. You can also read all our fact-checked stories here.)
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)