Central Government Denies Clearance for Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan’s Gulf Visit

Thiruvananthapuram: The Central Government has denied permission for Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s proposed Gulf tour. The Union Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) was responsible for denying the clearance. The state government has received official communication rejecting the Gulf visit, though no specific reason was provided for the decision.

Chief Minister Vijayan had sought approval to undertake a multi-phase visit to various Gulf countries between October 16 and November 9. The tour was initially slated to commence on October 16 from Bahrain. Minister Saji Cherian was also expected to accompany the Chief Minister on this official trip.

The itinerary included a series of significant events, most notably ‘Malayalotsavam,’ organized by the Malayalam Mission to promote the Malayalam language. The tour also aimed to facilitate direct interactions with expatriate Keralites residing in the Gulf region.

Following his arrival in Bahrain on October 16, the Chief Minister had planned to participate in various programs across Saudi Arabia from October 17 to 19, with events scheduled in Dammam, Jeddah, and Riyadh. Subsequently, he was set to visit Oman, with programs planned in Muscat and Salalah on October 24 and 25. Further stops included Qatar on October 30, Kuwait on November 7, and Abu Dhabi on November 9.