Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan accused Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan of being ignorant of “crimes against the state” committed in the state and said he The matter will be reported to the Center and the President, with the ruling Communist Party of India (CPI(M)) hitting back. Say “Don’t scare us.”
Speaking to reporters here in the evening, Khan said the chief minister, while denying having used the words “anti-national activities” and “anti-national activities” in any public statement, admitted that he had generally referred to “crimes against the state” which was committed in this state.
The governor said this was referring to a recent letter written by Vijayan to him.
“What is a crime against the state? What kind of activity is this? Isn’t this more serious? Shouldn’t you (CM) brief me? Isn’t this your duty? You are not fulfilling your duty,” Khan argued .
He further said that when such crimes against the country occur, he must report it to the President and the central government.
Soon thereafter, CPI(M) state secretary Govindan said at a press conference here that Khan’s five-year term ended on September 5 and he was only a “caretaker governor”.
Govindan said Khan’s “threat” that he would report to the Center and the President about the chief minister and state governments was “just a rumour”.
“He is sitting in the caretaker governor’s seat, summoning officials and threatening them, which is wrong. This is just a new approach from past governors who have failed to fulfill their constitutional responsibilities.”
“So, ‘Don’t try to scare us’, that’s what we are saying to him. Kerala has faced such threats before and survived,” Govindan said.
Earlier, while talking to reporters, Khan also said that the chief secretary and attorney general came to Raj Bhawan regularly “without the authorization of the chief minister” and now “they are no longer welcome”.
He further said that he had written to the chief minister seeking information about the crime against the state, but Vijayan did not even acknowledge it.
“He (the chief minister) only acknowledged my letter after I summoned the chief secretary and attorney general and responded 27 days later. However, he did not provide any information.”
“He did not come to the national assembly and he did not allow them (the chief secretary and the deputy attorney general) to come because he had something to hide. So, there is something fishy,” Khan said.
He said the chief secretary and the attorney general visited Raj Bhawan regularly.
Khan said the chief secretary also came to promulgate an ordinance when the Assembly was in session.
“I said it was inappropriate. Parliament is in session now and it needs to be reviewed again. The Chief Secretary came again and said it was okay, so I signed it.”
“So, they have been coming without the chief minister’s authorization. We will no longer welcome them,” the Governor said.
The governor and chief minister have been at loggerheads after Khan summoned the chief secretary and attorney general seeking information on any alleged anti-national activities taking place in the state.