Thiruvananthapuram – Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan against the extraordinary press conference held by Governor Arif Muhammad Khan at Raj Bhavan against the government and the CPM. The Chief Minister called a press conference and stated his stand against the Governor. The Chief Minister accused Governor Arif Mohammad Khan of being an RSS affiliate.
It is an unusual move by the governor to call a press conference. The governor said, “Sit down.” There are formal procedures for reporting differences of opinion with the government. Disagree with it. This is because the governor is taking a public stance and has to say this openly to the media. The constitution says that the governor should act on the advice of the cabinet. The Chief Minister said that the Governor has no right to reject the advice of the Cabinet.
Constitution is important in the country. The Governor is the constitutional head of the state. The executive power is vested in the elected government. The constitution says that the governor should act with the help and advice of the cabinet. The Governor is not personally responsible for any law signed by the Governor. The responsibility lies with the government. There is a court order that the governor has no power to reject the decision of the cabinet.
The governor’s constitutional position is to keep distance from organizations. Allegations are being raised that the governor’s office is being turned into a center for political intrigue. Is the Governor gathering information from the RSS WhatsApp group? Arif Mohammad Khan himself said that he has RSS affiliation. In the press conference, the Governor showered praise and love on the RSS. The Chief Minister asked if he could say this from the constitutional position.
On December 28, 2019, during the opening speech of the Historical Congress held at Kannur University, the governor made a statement that contradicted the facts. The protest was against the governor’s wrong remark. The governor called prominent historian Irfan Habib a goon and Kannur University Vice Chancellor Gopinath Ravindran a criminal. Irfan Habib is a world recognized historian. Irfan Habib and Gopinath Ravindran have taken a stand against Sangh Parivar. RSS tries to interpret history in their favour.
The governor is making the universities experiment centers to implement his preferred agenda. The appointment of the committee for the appointment of the Vice Chancellor (VC) of the University of Kerala is illegal. Universities in Kerala cannot be left open to become laboratories of RSS.
The government does not want to gain anything by putting pressure on the governor. Saying that a bill will not be signed without even reading it is a challenge to the constitution. Bills are passed after detailed discussion in the assembly. The Governor may or may not assent to the bill. If the returned bill is passed again, it will have to be signed by the governor. The chief minister said that the governor’s actions are turning against the people and the country. The Chief Minister also accused the RSS of trying to belittle the achievements of the state.
English Summary: CM Pinarayi Vijayan against Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan in press meet