Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala Government has come up with an explanation for declaring Sundays as working days for public employees in view of Nava Kerala Sadas, the public outreach programme of the LDF government. The state authority clarified that neither an instruction nor an order was issued to district collectors asking government staff to report for duty at the venue of Nava Kerala Sadas in the constituencies where the event is scheduled for Sunday.

Meanwhile, higher officials including the chief secretary have explained that district collectors have the power to take necessary action for conducting the state programme.

On Saturday, the Kerala government came under fire after Kasaragod collector Inbasekar Kalimuthu cancelled the holiday on Sunday, November 19 and ordered all public employees to attend Nava Kerala Sadas in Kasaragod, Kanhangad, Udma and Trikaripur constituencies. MP Rajmohan Unnithan condemned this order and termed it 'strange'.

“ Attempts are being made to invite officials to the government's PR programme. Pro-UDF associations will boycott the event,” Rajmohan Unnithan told Manorama News.

The event will be held on Sundays in several constituencies in Kozhikode, Palakkad, Ernakulam, Pathanamthitta and Thiruvananthapuram districts.