Kerala: Governor-Pinarayi government conflict escalates; Khan questions state's fiscal crisis
Even as the Governor seeks an explanation from Kerala government over the fiscal crisis in the state, SFI activists have ramped up their protests against Arif Khan
On the night of December 11, Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan stormed out of his vehicle, seething with anger, shouted at a group of SFI activists waving black flags: "Bloody criminals - will these goondas rule the roads!"
This incident happened when Khan was on the way to Thiruvananthapuram international airport to catch a flight to New Delhi. The police managed to clear the scene by arresting 19 students in a couple of minutes but the governor allegedly created a scene shoting at the police officers as well.
This unseemly incident seems to be the latest catalyst in the ongoing bitter battle between Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Governor Khan.
Governor alleges conspiracy
Khan has used this incident to accuse Vijayan of plotting physical harm against him, alleging that SFI activists, whom he derogatorily refers to as "street goondas", were part of the conspiracy hatched by the CM and the state government.
Khan also said it is the "start of the collapse of the Constitutional machinery in the state" but refrained from explicitly stating that the situation served as a precursor to the President's declaration of a state emergency under Article 356 of the Constitution. Political observers discern a pattern in Khan's outbursts and confrontations with the CPI(M). SFI leaders say no governor in the history of the state has made this kind of explicit political statements or come out on the street to confront a political protest.
SFI activists, who have been staging many protests against the Governor for several days, expressed their opposition against Khan's alleged efforts to appoint Sangh Parivar nominees in state-funded universities. They had brandished black flags at Khan's motorcade, which was heavily escorted by the police from the Raj Bhavan to the airport.
P M Arsho, secretary of SFI state unit said, "If the Governor persists in the endeavour to saffronise higher education, we will ensure that he cannot set foot in any educational institution in the state.”
Escalation of conflict
The ongoing SFI protest has, in turn, escalated the conflict between the BJP-appointed governor and the ruling LDF government. Following a setback in the Supreme Court regarding the governor's non-assent to legislations, Arif Khan, who often targets the CM and the government, is now finding fault with the CM over the nomination of members to the senate of Kerala University.
Earlier, the Governor had sought explanation from the state government over a complaint demanding imposition of financial emergency in the state using Article 360 of the Constitution. The Governor's action comes at a time when political disputes over the state’s finances have reached a peak.
Fiscal crisis
The BJP and the Union government have placed the blame for the ‘poor management of finances of the state’ on Pinarayi Vijayan-led government. In this claim, they seem to have the Congress support as well. The Kerala state government has countered this allegation by accusing the Central government of imposing a politically motivated financial embargo on Kerala to stifle the state's development.
Notably, the petition seeking the declaration of a financial emergency has been filed by R S Sasikumar, a well-known Congress activist, who served as a member of the Kerala University senate during the Congress regime.
“I have sought a response from the government on this matter, and I am waiting for it. The government has already filed an affidavit in the high court stating that the state is going through a dire financial situation,” says Arif Mohammed Khan.
The Governor alleged that it is because of his insistence for a clarification that the CM is trying to conspire against him. On the other hand, the CM is of the view that not every query from the Governor should be answered by the government.
Playing with fire
"The fiscal crisis in Kerala was engineered by the Centre by retrospectively reducing off-budget borrowing during the last 7 years from the current borrowing. Now, the Centre is using its agent, the Governor, to threaten declaration of the financial emergency. BJP is playing with fire,”said CPI(M) central committee member and former state finance minister Dr T M Thomas Issac.
CPI(M) Kerala secretary MV Govindan also accused Arif Khan of overstepping his constitutional limits. He alleged that the governor was acting unconstitutionally and emphasised that the public did not accept Khan's statements at face value.
Govindan said the SFI's protest against Khan's attempt to allegedly appoint Sangh Parivar nominees in state-funded universities will continue.
BJP leader and Union minister for state V Muraleedharan agrees with the Governor’s view, highlighting the conspiracy angle to harm the head of the state.
“There was indeed a conspiracy, and the police aided them in it. The governor would have got hurt had he remained in the car, and there is no protocol stating that the VIP should not get off the vehicle in a protest situation,” said Muraleedharan after visiting the Governor at Kerala House in New Delhi.
However, in a setback to the Governor, the Kerala high court has issued a stay on the nomination of four student representatives to the Kerala University senate. These representatives, whom the SFI alleges are associated with the ABVP, seem to lack the required qualifications as well.
