WAYANAD: Opposition leader Ramesh Chenithala has replied to minister A K Balan’s statement and he also added that he responded on the state film awards distribution row on the requests of film artists. “It was the film artists who brought the issue to my attention. I strongly stand on my opinion on the issue. Is this the way to distribute awards?” Chennithala asked.

“The attitude of keeping the awards in a table and asking the artists to take it away if they need them deserves condemn and opposition, it is unacceptable to the Kerala society,” the opposition leader said. “If those awards were to be given to 54 persons, then why the programme was organised? the awards could have been couriered to the winners address otherwise the officials of PRD could be deputed to give the awards. There was no need to insult them after inviting them to attend the ceremony,” he said.

The opposition leader also said that there is no violation of Covid 19 protocol in Aishwarya Kerala Yatra. “Activists of UDF is proceeding with the procession after wearing masks, sanitising hands, and following the social distancing norms. Why the issue of protocol violation is raised only in our programmes. The real protocol violation is committed by the ministers who are now roaming around the streets to hear the complaints of the people in the last days of the incumbent government,” Chennithala alleged.