Kerala Governor keeps away from Karunakaran memorial event after letter from Chennithala

Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan, who was earlier invited to the commemoration function to mark the 9th death anniversary of Congress leader K Karunakaran, kept away from the event after he was requested by Kerala Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala.

Chennithala sent a letter to Governor based on the request of Congress MP K Muraleedharan, son of Karunakaran, who was irked by the recent remarks of Kerala Governor on Citizens Amendment Act and the Congress.

Criticising the Kerala Governor during the event, Muraleedharan alleged that Governor's office has "become a public relation office of Modi government".

"Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is not pointing out the mistakes of Governor's office. Like Mamta Banerjee did in West Bengal, the Chief Minister here has to say that this is not the right way to go. If it's a government function we all have to attend. But in a function held to commemorate a secular leader like K Karunakaran, the Governor who is making such statements does not have the eligibility to attend," he said.

He said the Governor was invited to the function before his comments on Citizens Amendment Act. "After he criticized Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Congress, I am left with no other choice," he said.

In a tweet, Governor's office said that a request was made by Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala urging him to keep away from the function.

The Governor's office also has uploaded the letter received from Ramesh Chennithala in this regard.