By IANS,
Kolkata : Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee Thursday refused to accept felicitation from Congress workers in view of the devastation triggered by cyclone Aila in large parts of West Bengal early this week.
“This is not the time to accept any felicitation as many people are badly affected by the cyclone Aila in a number of West Bengal districts. I shall come to you later to accept your felicitation once the situation improves,” Mukherjee told Congress workers after coming out of the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International (NSCBI) airport here.
This is Mukherjee’s maiden visit to the state after taking over as the finance minister in Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s new government. He is scheduled to attend a programme in his Jangipur constituency in Murshidabad district Friday.
Mukherjee would head for Jangipur Friday morning and from there he would fly to the capital.
“I would request you not to gather at the airport premises as it’s a restricted place,” the minister told his supporters who came to receive their leader.