India News | Governor Attends Church Function, Raises Hackles of Officials
Get latest articles and stories on India at LatestLY. : Inaugurating a function organised by the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church here on Friday, Governor of Goa P S Sreedharan Pillai said he received a message from the officials in the district saying it is inappropriate on his part to attend the programme.
Kottayam (Kerala), Aug 6 (PTI): Inaugurating a function organised by the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church here on Friday, Governor of Goa P S Sreedharan Pillai said he received a message from the officials in the district saying it is inappropriate on his part to attend the programme.
"A message was received at the Goa Raj Bhavan on Thursday saying it is inappropriate to attend the function", Pillai said at the function held in memory of Baselios Marthoma Paulose II, the supreme head of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church of India, who passed away on July 12.
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Without naming the officials, Pillai said a reply to such messages was generally given by his office but to the message received on Thursday he himself dictated the reply.
He said he has directed his staff to inform the officials in Kottayam that he was not going to cancel the programme and that he has decided to pay floral tribute at the tomb of the senior priest.
"I am not blaming the officials (who sent the message)", Pillai said adding that such matters -- whether it is officials or people's representatives -- they should see in a broad aspect," he said.
When contacted, the district police chief Shilpa Dyavaiah told PTI that a message was sent to the Goa Raj Bhavan on Thursday informing them that the area where the function was being organised was a COVID-19 micro-containment zone and the function cannot take place.
She said when the district Collector removed the area from the micro-containment zone, a message was again sent to the Goa Raj Bhavan informing them that they can attend the function.
"I have only done my duty and informed (them of) the fact," Dyavaiah said.
Pillai, hailing from Kerala, was serving as Governor of Mizoram before he became the Governor of Goa on July 15.
He was close to Baselios Marthoma Paulose II.
The function was attended by dignitaries, including former Chief Minister of Kerala Oommen Chandy and the State Health Minister Veena George.
(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)