THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan publicly announcing his intention to go to any extent to defend the Citizenship (Amendment) Act passed by Parliament, the state is bracing for a face-off between its political leadership and the Raj Bhavan. Never in its history, have Kerala’s ruling and the opposition fronts been this united and public in their opposition to a Governor. That various other political outfits have joined hands with them further complicates the situation.
On Sunday, the chief minister, at an all-party meet convened by him, refused to cede to BJP’s demand to pass a resolution against the protests faced by the Governor in Kannur. The Left leadership too severely criticised the governor for making political statements which according to them was unbecoming of the office he occupies. Earlier, Congress had withdrawn its invite to the Governor for attending the commemoration of its late leader K Karunakaran. Further, the Governor had to face the ire of various outfits in the streets when the youth organizations owing allegiance to two major political fronts in the state showed black flags at him in protest against his stance on CAA. According to some, no governor in the country had encountered a fate as that of Arif Mohammad Khan in Kerala.
Meanwhile, Law Minister A K Balan speaking to TNIE, advised the Governor against making any political statement on CAA as it was sub-judice and the state government too had decided to move court challenging the Act. In case, the Court stays the Act, the Governor will have to back down from his stance which would be unbecoming of his post.
The minister said that when the Sabarimala verdict had literally stirred the hornet’s nest in the state, the previous Governor had not made any statement on the issue or verdict. It was only in his parting speech, that the former Governor Justice P Sathasivam spoke on the issue.