Kollam (Keralam), Sep 21 (PTI) Rallying against opposition criticism over UDF ministers’ foreign trips, KPCC president Sunny Joseph, on Monday said the travel had not cost the state government anything, while Sports Minister O J Janeesh said ministers were entitled to overseas travel as long as they did not compromise their official duties or use taxpayers’ money.
The remarks came amid criticism of foreign trips undertaken by UDF ministers, including Janeesh, Ramesh Chennithala and K M Shaji.
Opposition leaders recently took to social media to criticise UDF ministers for frequently making overseas trips after just three months since the government came to power, “This idea that ministers shouldn’t have any personal moments—what era is this mindset from? Aren’t we all human beings?” Janeesh told reporters here.
Defending his personal breaks, Janeesh said he was 37 and did not intend to “act old or rigid”, adding that he would occasionally take short personal trips.
“I am 37. I don’t intend to act old or rigid. As long as there is no inconvenience to the government, no compromise of responsibilities, no bad name and no taxpayers’ money involved, I will occasionally take short trips,” he said.
Janeesh said he had undertaken two trips abroad after being invited by welfare organisations and that neither visit was funded by the state government.
He said he had met ambassadors during both visits, including during his recent trip to Qatar.
“Before leaving, some mothers, including those from Malappuram, approached me and mentioned the distress of their children being in jail there. So I spoke to him regarding that. Over 700 expatriates are in prison there. Among them, I had applications from 32 Malayalis requesting intervention for their release. I discussed this with him,” he said.
Janeesh said the matter would be taken forward according to the state government’s protocol and that the relevant letter would be handed over through the prescribed procedure.
Speaking to reporters, Sunny Joseph said no minister had travelled abroad using government funds.
“Nobody has gone by spending government money. Going to the Gulf is not such an expensive journey. Only Ramesh Chennithala went to America. He returned within a week. That was a very important wedding to which I was also invited, hosted by a Congress leader there. He was invited to that wedding. Nobody went at the government’s expense,” he said.
Joseph, who is also the state Electicity Minister, said no large delegation or grand foreign tour had been undertaken by the ministers like during the previous LDF government.
“No large delegation went there, nor was a grand foreign tour conducted. Past histories were not repeated in that manner. It was done in a proper and modest manner for essential matters,” he said.
He also defended ministers travelling abroad when invited by Malayali organisations.
“If the Tourism minister is invited to Dubai or Bahrain, shouldn’t he go? K M Shaji is someone who used to travel that frequently even before becoming a minister. He doesn’t have time to travel much now, so he will only go limitedly,” Joseph said.
Referring to his own recent visit to Bengaluru, Joseph said he had attended two Onam celebrations organised by Malayali groups and met Karnataka Energy Minister K J George.
“One needs to travel, connect with people, and gain experiences,” he said.
On allegations regarding Local Self-Government Minister K M Shaji using his friend’s Range Rover as an official vehicle, Joseph described the controversy as a petty dispute and alleged that such allegations were being raised because there was nothing to criticise in the government’s functioning.
Defending Shaji, he said the minister’s decision had, in fact, saved the government money.
“What Shaji did now was save money—he saved government money. If this Kerala State car is taken, it needs diesel, repairs, tyre changes, and the driver needs to be paid. In a way, Shaji saved the government’s money,” he said.
Meanwhile, LDF convenor and former minister T P Ramakrishnan questioned whether ministers could justify foreign trips by saying they were not undertaken at the government’s expense.
“Is it right to take such a stance? When I was a minister, I went abroad. I travelled on government funds. There were valid reasons for it. The purpose of the visit and everything else were examined and approved at the government level,” he said.
He also questioned whether the ministerial post was meant for pleasure trips abroad.
“There is an issue of morality here. That is what needs to be pointed out. What was the purpose of the visit—that is the question,” he said. PTI TBA TBA ROH
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