The Left party has devised a multipronged strategy to take on Khan, plans to take out massive rally to Raj Bhavan on November 15.
Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan with BJP leaders in Thiruvananthapuram on Monday, 7 November. (K B Jayachandran/ South First)
Turbulent days are likely ahead in Kerala with the CPI(M), the largest constituent in the ruling LDF, deciding to step up its offensive against Governor Arif Mohammad Khan.
The party has devised a multipronged strategy to corner the “manipulative” and “BJP-RSS-appeasing politician”, now occupying the Raj Bhavan.
The Governor, too, is in a combative mood, even daring the CPI(M) to attack him on the streets. The BJP, meanwhile, is planning programmes in solidarity with Governor Khan.
The CPI(M) has constituted a Higher Education Protection Samithi — or council — with B Iqbal, educationalist and former vice-chancellor of the University of Kerala, as its head.
The council’s mandate is to consolidate all anti-Governor protests on a broader platform that would function beyond narrow, partisan politics.
To begin with, the samithi will take out a one lakh-people-strong massive protest rally to the Raj Bhavan on November 15. Educationists, scholars, opinion makers, social workers, and people of independent stature will participate in the rally besides cadres from the CPI(M) and its alliance partners.
Arif Mohammad Khan. (South First)
The CPI(M) has also ensured the participation of Thiruchi Shiva, a prominent Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leader. He will address the rally along with CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury and his CPI counterpart D Raja, among others.
The state government, meanwhile, is consulting legal experts to fight the Governor at the Supreme Court. The state will be raising the Governor’s refusal to give assent to two bills, the University Laws (Amendment) Act, 2022, and the Kerala Lok Ayukta (Amendment) Act, 2022.
Senior lawyer Fali S Nariman and his associates have been roped in to provide legal advice. The government has issued an order sanctioning a fee of ₹45.9 lakh.
The CPI(M) state committee, meanwhile, gave its approval to the government to introduce a new bill to remove the governor from the post of Chancellor of universities.
At the national level, the party is planning a conference in New Delhi on the constitutional necessity of the gubernatorial post. The party has plans to bring in national leaders from other political organisations, including AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan (Credits: Wikimedia Commons)
“There is no going back from our move to unite all democratic forces against the authoritarian attempts of the Governor. There is no doubt that he is implementing the BJP-RSS agenda to vitiate the existing harmonious social relationships in Kerala”, CPI(M) state secretary M V Govindan told South First, when contacted.
He further said that the CPI(M) state committee and state secretariat, which met over the past two days in Thiruvananthapuram, decided to further beef up the protests against the governor by using all available democratic means and platforms.
The Governor has already stated that he will not give assent to the two controversial bills, one that would alter the composition of the search-cum-selection committee to appoint vice-chancellors and provide the government greater leverage in the process. The other bill will curtail the powers of the Lok Ayukta.
If the governor remains adamant, the government plans to approach the Supreme Court. Other states, such as Tamil Nadu, facing similar situation, will also be approached. The CPI(M)’s belief is that the apex court will consider the collective demand from different states.
The BJP’s state unit, meanwhile, is planning marches, conventions and protests across the state from November 18 to mobilise support for the Governor, who is now waging a lone battle.
The programmes at district and taluk levels will reach out to the grassroots level and explain how the CPI(M)’s nepotism has ruined the higher education sector.
Govindan expressed confidence that the CPI(M) could mobilise more people in the coming months against what he called the RSS agenda to saffronise the state’s education sector.
“We will go to any extent to take on the governor. All his actions now onwards will be fought legally, politically and constitutionally,” he added.
Governor Khan, meanwhile, remained unperturbed. He appeared to be preparing to face the challenge.
“I am not afraid of what they say. I’m simply performing my duties and trying to correct the government whenever it errs. There is nothing more to it’,’ Khan told a news conference in Kochi on Monday, 7 November, where he opened another apparent war front with television channels, Kairali and MediaOne.
On Monday, the Governor accused the CPI(M) of weakening the state’s public institutions by appointing unqualified and inefficient cadres to top posts.
He also mentioned the controversy surrounding Thiruvananthapuram Mayor Arya Rajendran, who is facing charges of trying to accommodate CPI(M) cadres in temporary vacancies in the local body.
“Now, the government is threatening me with protests to silence me. But I will not be quiet. Attack me if you want. Barge into Raj Bhavan or attack me on the road. Vijayan says that he doesn’t know who I
am; I know who he is,” Khan said.
Meanwhile, the Governor-set deadline for vice-chancellors to reply to show-cause notice ended on Monday. All vice-chancellors, barring one, have replied to the notice. They claimed their appointments were by university statutes. As many as 11 vice-chancellors were issued notices.
The Raj Bhavan is yet to make any move on the vice-chancellors issue. The Governor is likely to go through each case from Tuesday, 8 November.
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