Protocol Gaffe: Gonela Apologizes

Legislative Council chairman, A Chakrapani, stated on Saturday that he was satisfied with the explanation given by principal secretary (GAD), R M Gonela, about ACP Karunakar Reddy stopping him when he went to receive president Pratibha Patil at Begumpet Airport on Friday.

Talking to media persons after Gonela and DGP K Aravinda Rao met him to explain the sequence of events which occurred during the president's ceremonial reception, Dr. Chakrapani said the breach of protocol by the officials was due to a misunderstanding, and that there was no hidden agenda.

Dr. Chakrapani said that the principal secretary explained that he was stopped because his name was missing from the list of dignitaries who were supposed to be present at the ceremonial reception. Gonela is said to have also told Dr. Chakrapani that the breach of protocol was inadvertent and unintentional, and expressed his regrets. The police officer had stopped all those whose names were missing from the list due to security reasons, Dr. Chakrapani was informed. Accepting the explanation, the council chairman said that the action that would be taken against the ACP may be lenient.

The council chairman was allowed to receive the president on Friday, after ministers Danam Nagender and Shankar Rao intervened, and warned the police officials that they would be transferred.

Courtesy: INN