Row over last-minute cancellation of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's virtual programme related to Wayanad school

An inauguration of a school building at Wayanad district in Kerala scheduled to be held online by local MP and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday was put off in the last hours citing protocol violations.

It triggered a political row with the Congress alleging of deliberate cancellation of the event.

Rahul was scheduled to inaugurate a building of a higher secondary school near Kalpetta on Thursday morning through online and the Kalpetta municipality made the arrangements for the function.

But on Thursday morning, Wayanad District Collector Adeela Abdullah directed that the function could not be allowed as it involved protocol violation.

The school building was inaugurated using funds under the multi-sectoral development programme of minority affairs department and hence the ministry concerned needs to be informed, the collector cited.

But the Congress alleged that it was a political ploy. Congress MLA from Wayanad I C Balakrishnan said that Kalpetta municipal chairperson Sanitha Jagadheesh, who represents the CPM, sought Rahul's convenient time and made arrangements for the inauguration.

Sanitha, however, said that the municipality was ignorant of the protocol issues involved and hence the event was cancelled by the collector.

With the local body and Assembly elections approaching in Kerala, the state is now witnessing an inauguration spree with chief ministers and ministers inaugurating a series of event on a daily basis.