The police say CCTV visuals and independent witnesses say there was no hitting on the Governor's vehicle by SFI cadres, as alleged by Khan.
Governor Khan staged a roadside protest against SFI protestors in Kollam. (Screengrab)
Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan’s claim that SFI activists had hit his car near Nilamel Junction in the Kollam district has come under a cloud of doubt after the police inspected CCTV footage collected from the scene and interviewed independent eye-witnesses.
Nilamel Junction witnessed high drama on Saturday, 27 January, when Khan stopped his motorcade, stepped out of the vehicle, and challenged SFI activists waving black flags at him, protesting against his alleged bid to appoint pro-Sangh Parivar representatives to senates and syndicates of state-run universities.
The Governor sat by the road for about two hours, protesting against what he alleged was the failure of the police to prevent the protesters from “ambushing” his car. He left only after the police filed an FIR, and showed him a copy.
Meanwhile, he contacted the Centre, which in turn accorded him security by central forces.
The Kollam rural district police went through all available CCTV footage and recorded the statements from independent witnesses who were present close to Nilamel Junction during the Governor’s standoff with the students.
Governor Khan in Kollam. (Screengrab)
However, Khan’s claim that the students had hit his vehicle remained unsubstantiated.
Witnesses said the protesters tried to move close to the Governor’s car, which slowed down to avoid an incoming truck, but the police kept them at a distance.
The students raised the “Governor Go Back” slogan, and Khan asked his driver to stop the car and then got off.
On Saturday, Khan kept reiterating that he would not mind black-flag protests, and he was provoked by the protestors banging on his vehicle, despite his high-security status as the state’s constitutional head.
SFI leaders denied the Governor’s charge.
On 12 December last, Khan had done a similar act of alighting from his car to confront black flag-waving SFI activists at Pettah in Thiruvananthapuram around 7 pm, alleged that the protesters had hit his car.
CCTV visuals then showed students hitting the Governor’s car with their fists when it slowed down at Pettah while proceeding towards the Thiruvananthapuram airport.
Now, the ruling CPI(M) and the SFI alleged that the Governor used the protest at Nilamel as an excuse to get central security cover by contacting the Union home ministry, the prime minister’s office, and the vice president, claiming he was not safe in Kerala.
Governor Arif Mohammed Khan gets out of his car en route to the airport in Thiruvananthapuram and confronts black flag-waving SFI activists at Pettah. (Sourced)
They said the Governor blew things out of proportion.
Meanwhile, confusion continued to prevail, even after 31 CRPF personnel occupied the Raj Bhavan premises on Sunday, 28 January.
However, the Kerala police continued to handle the security on the lone road leading to the Raj Bhavan and its entrance.
The police also clarified that they would continue to provide pilot, escort, and other security facilities to the Governor.
The Raj Bhavan had earlier informed the media that there would be 60 CRPF personnel to provide security to Khan, and 10 of them would be commandos, ensuring his personal security whenever he moved out.
Raj Bhavan officials earlier said the commandos would be from the NSG and they would be deployed in addition to the CRPF personnel. On Sunday, no NSG commandos were visible at the Raj Bhavan.
Another area lacking clarity was the absence of a mandatory notification by the Union Home Ministry regarding providing central forces to the Governor.
Raj Bhavan and the state Home Department officials confirmed on Sunday evening that they were yet to receive any such notification.
Earlier, when central forces handled the security of Mata Amritanandamayi and SNDP Yogam general secretary Vellapally Natesan, the Union Home Ministry issued specific notifications in advance. The copies of the notifications were handed over to the state home department.
On Saturday, the Governor claimed that he had not sought additional security cover. The Centre, however, did not clarify the need for beefing up the Governor’s security by deploying CRPF personnel.
Meanwhile, confusion prevailed in the state government regarding who would meet the CRPF’s expenses. Normally, the state — being responsible for the Governor’s security — meets the related expenses.
Government sources said only a Union government notification would reveal who would meet the security expenses. If the state government was made responsible, the additional amount would be paid from the annual budgetary allocations to the Raj Bhavan.
Considering the present standoff between the government and the Raj Bhavan the state may not allocate any additional funds.
Additionally, the CRPF lacked the power to arrest or produce before a court, a suspected offender. They could only hand over the offender to the police.
In such a situation, the Kerala police personnel must be at the Raj Bhavan. The CRPF could use firearms if the VIP’s life came under threat.
The CRPF would not have the right to beat up any protestor, as in the case of the gunman of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who recently roughed up some Youth Congress protestors.
On Sunday, as required, the state chief secretary sent a detailed report on the Nilakkal incident to the Union Home Ministry.
The letter held nothing against the Governor or his office. It was just a factual description of whatever had happened.
Meanwhile, observers said the CRPF taking over the Governor’s security should be seen against the backdrop of the Union government meddling in the state’s law enforcement affairs.
The state’s daily law and order has now been under the scrutiny of the central forces, which would be risky to the state government.
The Centre had not consulted the state before according to additional security to the Governor.
Observers also pointed out the speed with which the Union government decided to augment the Governor’s security. It made the decision barely within two hours of the Nilamel incident.
They said the move involved several questions related to the federal structure.
Meanwhile, the CPI(M) continued its tirade against Khan on Sunday, saying he was making a fool of himself.
CPI(M) state secretary MV Govindan said the Governor was doing extraordinary things that ordinary people could not even imagine.
“Many of his deeds are unimaginable to the common man, including the extra-constitutional interventions without fulfilling his Constitutional responsibilities. The Governor feels he can do anything. Most of what he says is pure rubbish. It is a lie to say the protesters banged on his car,” he said.
Former finance minister and CPI(M) leader TM Thomas Isaac said that even if the CRPF took over the security, there would be protests against the Governor. He said Khan was creating an unwarranted conflict in the state.
The SFI announced that it would continue the stir against Khan despite his Z-Plus security cover.
“We will not desist from staging protests against the Governor even if there are attempts to suppress us using central forces,” SFI state secretary PM Arsho said.
Khan had on Saturday termed SFI activists CPI(M)-paid goons.
Arsho, pointing out that his organisation has a strength of 16 lakh members, warned Khan that he would not be able to step out of his official residence if all these students decided to block him.
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