THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With just 48 hours left for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to unveil R Sankar’s statue in Kollam, a major controversy has erupted following the organisers asking Chief Minister Oommen Chandy to keep off the event.
In a statement, a pained Chandy said SNDP general secretary Vellapally Natesan had requested him over phone to cooperate by staying away from the function. The SNDP leader told him there was opposition from certain quarters against his participation. However, he didn't disclose their identity.
Apparently the Prime Minister’s office told the organisers that since the statue unveiling was a private function, the chief minister need not be present. There was no need to follow the protocol.
It was Vellapally who had invited the chief minister to preside over the statue unveiling event and the latter had agreed to participate in the function. Even the programme schedule had been printed and distributed among the guests.
But in a dramatic turn of events, the organisers informed that Chandy's presence was not required at the unveiling of the statue of the former chief minister and KPCC president.
Mr Chandy said he was duty bound to take part in the function. “As part of protocol and courtesy it was my responsibility to take part in a function being attended by the Prime Minister. But I am forced to take the decision to keep off following the change in the stand of organisers who had invited me earlier,” he said.
The chief minister said he would apprise the Prime Minister of the circumstances that forced him to stay away from the function. However, Chandy said he would go to Kochi to receive the prime minister on his maiden visit to the state on December 14.
Chandy said he would meet the prime minister along with his Cabinet colleagues and place the pending demands of the state before him at the meeting to be held at the Air Force technical area in Thiruvananthapuaram.
Reacting to the controversy, Vellapally Natesan said; ''It is correct that the chief minister is not taking part in the function. I am not prepared for a post-mortem of the issue at this stage. We are going to perform a good deed till then I am not going to speak on this issue. There is no need for me to explain the circumstances. Everything cannot be said in public. I am ready to speak on the subject after December 16.”
He said it was a private function and there was no need for adhering to the protocol.
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