Thiruvananthapuram: The MPs from Kerala who had been denied appointment by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for discussing flood related issues including additional financial assistance have decided not to meet Union home minister Rajnath Singh as advised by the PMO.
The MPs said on the instructions of the PMO, the Union Home Minister’s office got in touch with Kerala parliamentarians on Monday informing them that Mr Modi would not be meeting them and he had deputed Rajnath Singh for this purpose.
“Today I got a call from the home minister’s office saying that the PMO has authorised home minister to discuss the issues,” said K.C. Venogopal, AICC geneal ecretary and Alappuzha MP.
The MPs say they had met Rajnath Singh under the leadership of A.K. Antony earlier and submitted a detailed memorandum. Apart from Singh they had also met rural development minister, consumer affairs minister and agriculture minister.
“What is the use of meeting Rajnath Singh again ? We sought the appointment from PM two weeks ago and that too at his own convenience. It’s quite unfortunate that now he has asked us to meet home minister. Justice has been denied by the PM,” he said.
CPM parliamentary party leader P Karunakaran had earlier lamented that the Prime Minister gave an appointment to Mohanlal, actor from Kerala, but he chose to decline a meeting with elected MPs from the state. “The prime minister has disregarded the people’s representatives and the people of Kerala. This is highly deplorable," he added.
