Kerala team to fly to Israel for agri tour without Minister Prasad

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Agriculture Minister P Prasad’s plan to visit Israel for an agricultural study tour was cancelled following consultations between the CPM and the CPI.

Instead of the Minister, Agriculture Principal Secretary B Ashok will be leading the team to Israel to learn about modern farming techniques. The team, comprising officials and farmers, will leave for Israel on Sunday.

The Left Democratic Front (LDF) intervened and nixed the Minister's tour as the CPM and CPI have constantly criticised the BJP government at the Centre on its bonhomie with Israel. The CPM had strongly criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Israel a few years ago. The Left parties had also recently strongly protested against Israeli incursions in Gaza.

The Left leadership reckoned that Prasad, who is a national council member of the CPI, leading the team to Israel would be politically damaging for it. When the file on Prasad's tour programme came up before Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, he kept it aside and spoke to CPI state secretary Kanam Rajendran.

In view of the reservations expressed by the CM, the discussions were also held within the CPI and the directive to cancel the trip was given to the Minister.

The Minister said that he had planned the tour following an invitation extended by the Israeli Ambassador. And also pointed out that earlier Krishnan Kaniyamparambil, also from the CPI, had visited Israel when he had been the Agriculture Minister.

The LDF accepted the Minister's suggestion that he would stand aside if the tour was not politically favourable and let the officials lead the team.