Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan will not be hosting the 'At Home' reception, which was scheduled to be held on the evening of Independence Day. Raj Bhavan decided to cancel the event in light of the recent tragic loss of lives in Wayanad due to natural calamities.
The 'At Home' reception is a customary event where the governor invites dignitaries and officials to celebrate nationally important occasions.
In the catastrophic series of landslides that struck the Wayanad district on July 30, more than 400 people have died. According to the official stats of the state government, 224 bodies and 189 body parts have been recovered. As many as 178 bodies and 2 body parts have been released to relatives.
ALSO READ: Wayanad landslides: Heroic rescue team braves night in forest with victim's corpse
Earlier this year, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his council of ministers boycotted the Republic Day 'At Home' reception hosted by Khan. This followed Khan's decision to cut short his policy address to the budget session in the Kerala assembly, wrapping up his speech in less than two minutes due to the rift with the government. The Chief Secretary and state DGP also did not attend the Republic Day reception, with the only official present being the then Principal Secretary of the General Administration Department.
Notably, after the Wayanad landslides, Governor Khan endorsed the sentiments expressed by CM Vijayan, who highlighted the resilience and generosity displayed by the people of Kerala during the floods of 2018 and 2019. The governor also donated Rs 5 lakh to the Chief Minister’s Disaster Relief Fund. Khan called the landslides a “colossal tragedy” and made a plea for people to come forward and assist the victims. He also told the media that he dedicated most of his speech at the recent governors’ conference to talk about Wayanad.
