Kerala CM flays media over news reports on walking out of public event

PTI, Sep 23, 2023, 5:04 PM IST

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday found himself at the center of a controversy again when he angrily walked out of a public event here, after his speech was allegedly interrupted by the host to make an announcement.

Vijayan expressed displeasure towards the behaviour of the announcer of a programme organised by the Bedadka Farmers Service Cooperative Bank Ltd at Kundamkuzhy here.

At the event, the CM was wrapping up his address when the anchor inadvertently began speaking. The interruption prompted Vijayan to ask whether the announcer was unable to hear his concluding statements. ”It’s not right,” said a visibly upset Vijayan before storming out of the stage.

However, in the next event held nearby, Vijayan slammed the media reports and said he was merely correcting a wrong doing of an announcer who interrupted his speech at the function and was not upset.

”While I was concluding my speech, someone started making announcements. I said it was not right.. But, he couldn’t hear. I asked whether he was unable to hear me. And I left. And you know what? The channels reported that I left after being upset,” Vijayan said laughing. Targeting the reporters present at the second event, Vijayan said he was not upset.

”Not sure whether the person (media person) who reported that news is here or not. What are they getting out of it? Who was upset? If someone did something which was not right, it was my responsibility to correct it. But you (the media) want to paint a different picture. You (the media) need to understand that people perceive matters in a different manner,” he said.