Minister says denied permission to visit China

Kerala Tourism Minister Kadakampally Surendran on Friday said he has been denied the permission to visit China to participate in a UNWTO meeting by the central government.

Surendran, while speaking to the media after his request was rejected by the Ministry of External Affairs, said that he is shocked by the narrow-minded outlook of the Bhartiya Janta Party government.

"Don't you know the way the BJP government at the Centre acts. I feel the only reason for me being denied permission to travel is nothing but political," said Surendran.

"I will certainly want to know the reason the permission was denied and I will write to the Prime Minister. I will also bring this to the attention of our Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who I am sure will also write to the Prime Minister," said Surendran.

The Minister said he had applied for a diplomatic passport but the request by denied.

The UN World Tourism Organisation meeting is scheduled to be held in China from September 11 to 16.

"Among the topics that will be discussed at the meet are issues concerned with responsible tourism and in that area Kerala has done a lot of work," he said.

"What I have come to know is that my permission to travel to China was cleared at the official level and after that it got stuck."

--IANS

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