Cong slams Kerala govt for 'disrespecting' national leaders

Congress in Kerala today alleged the CPI(M)-led LDF government of showing 'disrespect' to Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and B R Ambedkar by not including their pictures in the invite to the programme being held to celebrate the Diamond jubilee of the state assembly.
KPCC President V M Sudheeran shot off a letter to Speaker P Sreeramakrishanan, saying the programme notice does not have the images of Gandhi, Nehru and Ambedkar whose statues have a prominent place in front of the assembly, while that of E M S Namboodiripad, the state's first Chief Minister, has been given prominence.
"The statue of Mahatma Gandhi is right in front of the main entrance of the assembly and it is flanked by the statues of Jawaharlal Nehru and B R Ambedkar, while the statue of Namboodiripad, who headed the first Communist government, is at a slight distance away. This is improper and a disrespect to the National leaders," Sudheeran said in the letter.

Meanwhile, Dr Vincent P J, Press secretary to the Speaker, said the controversy was over a "misunderstanding" and was "unfortunate".
At a time when the assembly is observing its 60th anniversary, it is unfortunate that a controversy has erupted over the prominence given to the picture of EMS, the first Chief Minister of the state and one of the architects of united Kerala, Vincent said in a statement.
No attempt was made deliberately by the assembly secretariat to avoid the picture of the Father of the Nation or any others, he said.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will inaugurate the seminar series this evening as part of the 60th anniversary of the assembly.

Congress yesterday attacked the Vijayan-led government and accused it of following the footsteps of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in omitting Mahatma Gandhi's name from a circular, urging its staff to observe martyrs day on January 30 and had said it was an 'insult' to the father of the nation.