Governor `thanks' media for informing him of Pinarayi Vijayan's foreign trip

Kochi: In a statement on Saturday, Governor Arif Mohammed Khan voiced his dissatisfaction at not being notified about Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's three-week abroad tour, and he "thanked" the media for informing him of it.

When the media asked Khan what he thought about the CM and his family's overseas trip, Khan responded sarcastically, thanking them that at least they informed him.

"I am not aware...Thank you very much for informing me...At least you have informed me," the Governor told reporters in nearby Aluva.

Khan said he had earlier written to the President of India that the Raj Bhavan was "kept in the dark" about such foreign visits.

"Earlier I have written..not this time..honestly I am not aware about it," the Governor added.

The CM and his close family members left for various foreign destinations on May 6.

While the opposition Congress and BJP had accused the CM of keeping the details of the foreign trip a "secret" and sought to know who was the sponsor, the ruling CPI(M) strongly came in support of Vijayan and justified his family tour.

CPI(M) central committee member A K Balan had on Friday even likened Vijayan's foreign trip to God's rest after creating the universe in six days, drawing a parallel to the Biblical narrative.

Responding to controversies surrounding Vijayan and his family's foreign trip, Balan said the Chief Minister did not go to space; he simply took a break in Indonesia, which, according to the veteran leader, is only 60 km away from Pygmalion Point (Indira point) in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

CPI(M) state secretary M V Govindan on Wednesday said Vijayan embarked on his overseas trip at his own expense after getting requisite permissions from the party and the Central government.

Vijayan actually took a break after the intense Lok Sabha poll campaigning in Kerala and decided to travel abroad with his family, he had said.

With PTI inputs