THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Union Minister of State for Tourism Alphons Kannanthanam visited heads of various religious groups during his visit to the capital on Saturday. Kannanthanam, who reached the CSI South India Diocese headquarters at LMS Compound here in the afternoon was received by Bishop A Dharmaraj Rasalam, Administrative Secretary Dr Selvaraj and Director of Somervell Memorial CSI Medical College and Hospital Dr Bennet Abraham. The Minister interacted with them for over 20 minutes and sought their suggestions for the development of the tourism sector in the state.
Kannanthanam then visited the Latin Catholic Archdiocese headquarters at Vellayambalam. He interacted with Archbishop Soosa Pakiam M, Auxillary Bishop Christudas Rajappan and Vicar General Fr Eugene Pereira.The religious leaders highlighted the issues faced by people in the coastal areas. Soosa Pakiam demanded that the fisheries sector, which was divided among eight departments, be brought under a single department. The minister assured the religious leaders that he would take up the matter with the Union Government.
Kannanthanam then visited the Sri Ramakrishna Ashramam, Sasthamangalam, and spent around half an hour interacting with ashram head Swami Mokshavrithananda and Swami Yogavrithananda. The Minister also interacted with nursing students at the Sri Ramakrishna Ashram Charitable Hospital. The Union Minister then visited the Palayam Juma Mosque and interacted with Imam P V Suhaib Moulavi and Jamaath general secretary M Salim.
The Minister was received by Jamaath Development Council Chairman E M Najeeb and Advocate Abdul Kareem. BJP district president S Suresh, state spokesperson J R Padmakumar, Minority Morcha state secretary Danny J Paul and Minority Morcha district president Fr Baby Abraham accompanied the Minister. Later, Kannanthanam was given a rousing reception at the Karthika Tirunal Theatre by the BJP’s district unit. Senior BJP leaders were present at the meeting.