Kozhikode Collector N. Prasanth has offered “an unconditional apology” for having hurt Congress MP M.K. Raghavan, bringing to an end the week-long slugfest between the two.
“At times, I admit that I too am very emotional. After all, we are human beings. My wish is not to hurt anyone knowingly or unknowingly. If I have hurt him, I unconditionally apologise,” Mr. Prasanth said on his Facebook page on Sunday night.
On Monday evening after Janata Dal (Secular) State president M.P. Veerendrakumar, MP, too had intervened to amicably settle the issue.
“I am unhappy that the personal relationship I had with Kozhikode MP M.K.Raghavan had been spoiled,” the Collector said. “Personal issues should have been sorted out privately. However, I think many tried to mislead and fuel the feud. I would never think of insulting the MP. I do not have to display my ego to an MP who is above me in experience and position. I heard that he called me immature, an upstart and irreverent. If he had indeed used such harsh words against me, I know how annoyed he must have been. I don’t hesitate to say that I am responsible for this.”
However, he said the official processes would go on. “I hope to convince him directly,” he said. Over 3, 800 people shared the Facebook post and 33,000 ‘liked’ it.
MP happy
Mr. Raghavan, for his part, expressed happiness at the Collector’s gesture and said he had no personal issues with Mr. Prasanth. The hostility between the Congress leader and the Kozhikode Collector worsened after Mr. Prasanth posted the map of Kunnamkulam on his Facebook page when Mr. Raghavan demanded an apology (‘mappu’ in Malayalam) for alleging that the MP had threatened officials at the Collectorate during a review meeting of the projects under the MPLADS.
On Saturday, Mr. Raghavan took up the issue with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Chief Secretary S.M. Vijayanand.
The issue acquired a political dimension with the CPI (M) defending the Collector while the Congress protested against him.
