Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan seems not to be in the mood to relent Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on his alleged anti-national remarks.
The governor insisted that the anti-national activity of the chief minister was a serious matter and that he would report it to the President. This indicates that the ongoing tussle between the Kerala government and Governor Arif Mohammed Khan will intensify
The governor is deeply resentful of the chief minister’s action of not sending the state police chief and the chief secretary to the Raj Bhavan for an explanation on the recent allegations of gold smuggling. In a letter to him, the governor said the officials no longer need to come to the Raj Bhavan for explanation. Instead, the chief minister and ministers should personally appear before him.
Usually, the governor summons the chief secretary and departmental secretaries to the Raj Bhavan to seek explanations on draft bills and ordinances. It is often the secretaries, rather than ministers, who provide the necessary official and legal clarifications regarding bills and Ordinances to the governor. Also, when the chief minister and ministers visit the governor, they are accompanied by their secretaries.
Governor Khan, on Friday, informed the media that he had sought an explanation on the chief minister’s controversial remarks on gold smuggling in a letter sent on September 10, but he only received a reply on October 8. He claimed that the letter had been disregarded, and information was being withheld.
Under these circumstances, the governor said he had summoned the chief secretary and the police chief to the Raj Bhavan for clarification. He alleged that the chief minister has not only refrained from providing explanations to the Raj Bhavan but has also barred officials from doing so.
In this connection, it is learned that the governor’s position is that the chief minister should give a precise explanation of gold smuggling and national activities taking place in the state allegedly made by the CM. It has been reported that the Raj Bhavan has decided to continue raising the issue. The governor will soon report to the President on the matter. The Raj Bhavan is also examining the possibility of further action against the chief secretary and state police chief under the Central Service Rules.
Meanwhile, Leader of the Opposition in the state Assembly V D Satheesan termed the ongoing tussle a drama. “This is the war to change the subject when the government is on the defensive in everything. It only lasts for a week,” he said.