THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Cultural minister A K Balan has issued clarification over the distribution of state film awards. “It was with good intention that the awards were not distributed directly by the chief minister,” he said. The awards ceremony was held at a time when the state is still being grappling under the fear of the pandemic. The minister has also said that the chief minister has already informed earlier that the ceremony will be conducted as per the covid protocol. “That means if one person is given award then hands should be sanitised, is to possible to sanitise hands 53 times? Even the opposition leader lased out without understanding the issue,” the minister said.

“No award winner has criticised it. Only a former office-bearer of producers association has opposed it. It is because that idea itself was unacceptable to him,” he added.

“He further added that the opposition leader who blamed the chief minister is compelling others to carry his body. The procession conducted in this manner, when commences in the capital city the entire state would end up as a cluster of the pandemic,” A K Balan stated.