Tourism Minister Kadakampally Surendran on Tuesday won kudos and brickbats on social media for removing a throne-like seat meant for the Shankaracharya of the Shringery Math Bharathi Theertha Swami.
A throne-like chair was placed reportedly for the Shankaracharya at a programme to dedicate the Mithranandapuram pond to the public. On arrival, Mr. Surendran with the help of the former health minister V.S Sivakumar removed it and sat on ordinary plastic chairs. The Shakaracharya did not attend the programme, though a sanyasi from the Math was present on the occasion.
Mr. Surendran later took to Facebook defending his action. Big chairs that can seat two or three persons are not needed at government functions. The programme sheet showed that the Swami was not invited to the programme. “When I enquired about the big chair, I was told that it was for the Swami, should he choose to attend the programme. I removed the chair pointing out that such a chair was not necessary either for a Minister or for a pontiff of any denomination,” he added.
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Mr. Surendran went on to say that the BJP state president Kummanam Rajasekharan and O. Rajagopal MLA, who were present on the occasion understood the awkwardness generated by the special chair.
The social world was divided over the minister's action with many people praising him and others condemning him.
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