THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A day after Governor Arif Mohammad Khan unleashed a tirade against the state government, the Left has approached the President. In a letter to President Draupadi Murmu, senior CPI leader Binoy Viswam said that the Governor was on a confrontational path with the LDF government in Kerala and sought her urgent intervention in the matter, keeping in view the gravity of the situation.
In his letter, the Rajya Sabha MP also underscored the need to retain the dignity of the Governor's office. The Governor has been acting like a mere political worker and has crossed all constitutional limits, the letter read.
It is learnt that the CPI leader even referred to the extraordinary press conference held on Monday, wherein the Governor had raised a volley of allegations against the state government.
Khan even said that he would withhold his assent to the legislations that were passed by the state assembly, the letter informed the President.
According to the letter, the Governor's open confrontation with the state government amounts to being anti-Constitutional, as the Governor's office too is bound to abide by the Constitution.
Viswam also reportedly referred to the Supreme Court verdict in the Shamser Singh versus Punjab Government case, in which the apex court had observed that the role of the Governors was only nominal in the running of the state, akin to the powers vested on the king by the British Parliamentary system. In a federal system, the Governor should act as the link between the state and the Centre.
Viswam also quoted noted jurist Justice VR Krishna Iyer's famous verdict that the Governor should play an impartial role in state politics and should not use his office for personal political interests.
Binoy Viswam urged the President to issue the necessary directives to the Governor to maintain the dignity and discipline of his office and avoid needless interference in the policy matters of the state government.