Kerala: CM Dismisses Governor's Allegations; Calls for Fulfilment of Constitutional Duties

The relationship between the government of Kerala and Governor Arif Mohammad Khan shows no signs of improvement. The Governor has repeated his allegations of being subjected to physical harm by protesting Students Federation of India (SFI) members, which the latter has claimed to be baseless.

With the High Court of Kerala staying the nominations of the Governor to the senate of the University of Kerala, the SFI has announced plans to intensify the struggles against attempts to “saffronise higher education campuses by nominating Sangh Parivar affiliates” to the senates of different universities. The Governor, despite being the executive head of the state, continues to lock horns with the state government with his recent remarks on the Nava Kerala Sadas, the public outreach programme of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government. Recently, the Governor has labelled the conduct of the outreach programme as a wasteful exercise.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has strongly condemned these allegations and refused to budge to the “pressure tactics” of the Governor. The High Court of Kerala stayed the nominations to the four student constituencies made by the Governor in his capacity as the Chancellor of the universities. The nominees proposed by the Governor, overlooking the recommendations of the university administration, were found to be ineligible as per the prescribed rules. In addition, two of the students are office bearers of the right-wing students’ union, the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP).

The SFI held a black flag protest against the Governor and attempted to block his car on his way to the airport on December 11, leading to the Governor raising another round of allegations against the government and the chief minister. He called the protesting SFI members “goons” and got engaged in a heated exchange of words. The Governor also claimed that the chief minister was directing the attacks on him and demanded immediate actions on the protesting students.

CM Vijayan has rejected the allegations of the Governor, asking him to discharge his duties as per constitutional mandates and “not to function like a follower of Sangh Parivar organisations”. "The Governor has some responsibilities as he is occupying a constitutional position. The Governor has to function on the advice of the Cabinet and is not entitled to exert unwanted pressure on the government," he said while addressing a Nava Kerala Sadas.

The Governor went on to repeat his allegations on the government's reappointment of the Vice-Chancellor of Kannur University but refused to comment on the ineligible persons nominated to the senate of the University of Kerala. Two of the students recommended by the University administration approached the High Court against the nominations of the Governor, which were eventually stayed by the court. The SFI demanded that the Governor withdraw his nominations and announced continuous protests.

The SFI has announced plans to prevent the Governor from entering higher education campuses as part of the protest programmes. The Governor, on the other hand, has announced his stay at the Calicut University guest house on December 16, challenging the SFI to prevent him.

Continuing the attack on the Governor regarding the nomination of ineligible students to the senate of the universities, P. M. Arsho, the state secretary of the SFI, questioned whether the Governor received the list of nominees from the office of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). "How did the Governor know the office bearers of the ABVP? We stand by our allegation of the Governor nominating Sangh Parivar members recommended by the BJP leadership," he said.

The SFI members held an education strike on December 6 and observed higher education protection day on December 7, against the saffronisation attempts of the Governor.