IEgos wounded in the cut and thrust of politics are not rare. But the bitter rift between a governor and a chief minister has not been as forcefully visible to the public as it has been seen in Kerala in the last one week. Tension escalates between Governor Arif Mohammad Khan and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayana The state politics has once again come to the central level. However, the latest confusion seems sharp compared to the relatively old controversies of the past.
The incident that created a standoff was the boycott of APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University (KTU) Vice Chancellor Siza Thomas by the CPI(M). As the Chancellor of State Universities, Mr Khan had appointed him to the post, bypassing government candidates. after he did The Supreme Court dismissed Rajshree MS. Appointment of As the Vice Chancellor of KTU, considering it a violation of University Grants Commission (UGC) norms.
Launching a scathing attack on the LDF government, Mr Khan alleged That the government “started the process of collapse of the constitutional machinery” by threatening them with dire consequences and not allowing the vice chancellors appointed by them to perform their duties. He challenged the ruling front to “enter the Raj Bhavan” and attack “on the street” if they had the “daring”. Mr Khan also said that he would join the LDF workers’ dharna in front of the Raj Bhavan on November 15 if the ruling front leaders are ready to argue with him in public.
Mr Khan’s comments on Mr Vijayan indicated a growing gulf between the two offices. He alleged that Mr Vijayan “had to go home to change his clothes” when an IPS officer removed his gun from a holster to prevent a CPI(M) leader from freeing a party worker from police custody in Kannur.
By whom did the governor attack the government? Order to submit resignation to other Vice Chancellors, The basis for this controversial directive was that the government had appointed these vice-chancellors through the same process that the Supreme Court had held to be illegal in the case of the KTU vice-chancellor.
The government got some relief from a wrestling match with Mr. Khan over university administration on November 8, when Kerala High Court bans him as chancellor By passing the final order on the show cause notice issued to the Vice Chancellors.
Mr Khan sparked controversy during a press conference when he Journalists of Kairali TV and MediaOne TV banned from covering the incident, believing him to be politically partisan. He was immediately criticized by civil society for “cutting” the freedom of the press. The Editors Guild of India opposed the “selective targeting of media channels by a person holding a high constitutional position”. Barring the BJP, the LDF and the Congress-led opposition condemned the “blackballing” of the two media houses by Mr Khan. Journalists’ associations took out a march to the Raj Bhavan.
The state government has found itself in a situation which has no political precedent. It recognizes that Mr. Khan’s actions posed a serious challenge to the governing ideal of federalism. The CPI(M)-led LDF has found a common cause with other non-BJP ruled states, Mainly Tamil Nadu, who have had similar run-ins with their respective governors. The DMK has promised to send its representatives to join the LDF’s Raj Bhavan siege.
However, the government’s case against the governor has an Achilles heel in explicitly addressing the allegations of nepotism and misgovernance in state universities. The government has also not addressed the clear distinction between state university laws and UGC norms.
The rapidly escalating standoff between the governor and the government could lead to another season of political turmoil in Kerala. If two institutions fail to strike a captive, governance and the public interest will probably be the cause.
However, at the present juncture the road to reconciliation seems far-fetched. The CPI(M) has said it has no option but to pick up the weapon thrown by Mr. Khan. The Kerala cabinet on 9 November resolved to request Mr Khan to bring an ordinance to remove the governor from the post of chancellor of universities.