The absence of E. Sreedharan, ‘Metroman’ and Principal Adviser, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC); Leader of the Opposition Ramesh Chennithala; and local Congress legislator P.T. Thomas from the list of those who are to share the dais with Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the inauguration of Reach I of the Kochi metro on Saturday has triggered a row. The inauguration was mired in a row earlier when a Kerala Minister announced that the State would go ahead with the inauguration even if Mr. Modi was not available.
In the list prepared by Kochi Metro Rail Ltd (KMRL) and forwarded by the State to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), 17 were to share the dais with the Prime Minister when he formally commissions the 13.4-km elevated corridor from Aluva to Palarivattom.
Of the 17 to be seated in the dais at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kaloor, 10 including Mr. Modi, Governor P. Sathasivam, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Union Minister for Urban Development M. Venkaiah Naidu, Mr. Chennithala, K.V. Thomas, MP, Mr. Thomas, Dr. Sreedharan, Kochi Mayor Soumini Jain; and Managing Director, KMRL, Elias George, were to address the gathering.
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As the issue triggered a political storm, the Chief Minister asked Chief Secretary Nalini Netto to write to the PMO requesting to include Mr. Chennithala, Mr. Thomas and Dr. Sreedharan on the dais. But, the Special Protection Group that throws security cover for the Prime Minister trimmed the list to seven citing security and protocol.
As per the list, only the Governor, the Chief Minister, Mr. Naidu, Mr. Thomas, Transport Minister Thomas Chandy and Mrs. Jain would be allowed on the dais. Apart from Mr. Modi, Mr. Vijayan and Mr. Naidu would address the gathering. Former Chief Ministers V.S. Achuthanandan and Oommen Chandy who were also instrumental in the take-off of the project during their regime also do not figure on the list of invitees.