Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday, after the Ministry of External Affairs denied his state’s tourism minister permission to attend a United Nations event in China.

Kerala Tourism Minister Kadakampally Surendran on Friday alleged that “narrow-minded politics of the External Affairs Ministry’’ was behind the decision to deny him clearance, The Indian Express reported.

He said he had asked for permission two months ago, and that the ministry did not tell him why they turned down his request, the Hindustan Times reported.

The United Nations World Tourism Organisation is holding the 22nd session of its General Assembly in Chengdu, China, between September 11 and September 16.

In his letter to the prime minister, Chief Minister Vijayan said the state was disappointed for being denied an opportunity to promote its tourism at an international forum. He also expressed his disappointment on social media.

“Entire Kerala is shocked,” he said on Twitter. “We register a strong protest against this discriminatory and biased decision of the Ministry of External Affairs.”

The External Affairs Ministry, however, said Surendran was denied permission after various aspects of the plan were studied.