Thiruvananthapuram: Opposition Leader V.S. Achuthanandan has demanded a high-level inquiry into the UDF government’s failure to invite him to the Governor’s swearing-in ceremony here on Friday.
He said that barring the car pass delivered by an employee at his official residence, Cantonment House, on Thursday which was acknowledged by his staff, there was not even a telephone call from any official inviting him to the function.
He said the swearing-in ceremony was an important event for the government and it was its responsibility to organise the function as per the well-laid out protocol norms. The function could not be treated on par with tea parties at the Raj Bhavan, he added.
Mr Achuthanandan said the incident yet again reflected the inefficiency of the UDF government.
He had skipped the swearing-in ceremony accusing the general administration department (GAD) of not inviting him to the function.
“Everyone within the state and outside is aware of the Opposition Leader’s house. There is no question of invitation letters getting lost because of address problem,’’ he told mediapersons here justifying his absence. Soon the government swung into action directing the GAD to issue a press statement along with the proof of Mr Achuthanandan’s office staff acknowledging the invite.
Despite the GAD statement, Mr Achuthanandan stuck to his charge that he was not invited. “This is yet another example of the UDF government’s administrative inefficiency,’’ he added.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy rejected Mr Achuthanandan’s charge saying that the Opposition Leader was formally invited to the function.
