Violation of protocol norms during the arrival of President Pranab Mukherjee at the Air Force Station in the international airport here on Friday night resulted in the sidelining of Speaker G. Karthikeyan, Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala, and Health Minister V.S. Sivakumar.
Mr. Karthikeyan and the Ministers were asked to stand after District Collector Biju Prabhakar and City Police Commissioner H. Venkatesh by an official who was part of the President’s security.
Governor Sheila Dikshit, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, Mayor K. Chandrika, Chief Secretary E.K. Bharat Bhushan, and State Police Chief K.S. Balasubramanian, who arrived with the President in the IAF special aircraft 35 minutes behind schedule, were ahead of the Speaker and the Ministers.
The Home Minister expressed his displeasure and told the official that he was taking up the issue seriously.
