Centre denies Mayor permission to attend upcoming BRICS summit in Russia

Kolkata: Due to the denial of permission by the Centre, Mayor of Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC), Firhad Hakim will not be able to attend the BRICS summit in Russia next month.

It was learnt that Hakim was invited to the summit and was reportedly the only mayor to have been invited to the international summit.

However, reports claimed that the Centre has denied permission for the trip. Sources said plans were afoot to send a KMC delegation prior to his visit since the civic body has lately been focusing on improvement of drainage system in Kolkata and for which the mayor wanted to borrow ideas about the management of such systems are done there.

Hakim, however, gave no reaction to the development. Sources said such a decision by the Centre only reflects the unhealthy relation which Bengal government has with the Union government.

Many claimed that the Centre decided to deny permission so no random statements are made in international forums that may show the Indian government in a bad light.

Recently, the Trinamool Congress-led West Bengal government has been drawing flak from across the country and abroad for the alleged mishandling of the rape and murder case at the state-run RG Kar Medical

College & Hospital.