THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The face-off between Governor Arif Mohammed Khan and the Kerala government was expected to end in a showdown, but there was a twist in the long-drawn drama when the assembly met for the budget session on Wednesday.
Contrary to expectations, the governor chose to read out the state government’s stand against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in his policy address but clarified that he did not agree with the view, much to the chagrin of the opposition UDF, which was quick to allege a secret pact between the governor and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
Opposition MLAs, holding placards, interrupted the proceedings by raising slogans and boycotted the address. Khan, who has been highly critical of the Left government’s opposition to the CAA, said he was reading out the portion regarding the law to honour the chief minister’s wish.
After UDF legislators, who heckled him inside the House for about 10 minutes for his pro-CAA stance, were forcibly removed by the watch and ward staff, Khan took his position on the dais and read out the entire speech, which contained a slew of harsh remarks against the Centre.
"Our citizenship can never be on the basis of religion as this goes against the grain of secularism which is part of the basic structure of our Constitution. This august body unanimously passed the resolution requesting the central government to abrogate CAA 2019, which my government believes goes against the cardinal principles underlying our Constitution," the governor read out. It was widely expected that the governor would skip the anti-CAA remarks in the speech.
"I’ll read out the paragraph because the chief minister wants me to read it although I hold the view that this doesn’t come under the definition of policy or programme. The chief minister himself has said this is the view of the government. I disagree with it. But to honour his wish I am going to read it," Khan said before reading out the remarks, amid applause from the treasury benches.
The beginning of the budget session witnessed dramatic scenes as the UDF -- quite aware that the government would not support its resolution to recall the governor -- staged protests in the House. Earlier, when Khan entered the House along with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Speaker P
Sreeramakrishnan, UDF MLAs blocked his way and asked him to “go back”, even terming him an RSS agent. As they refused to move despite requests from the CM and Speaker, the watch and ward staff were called in. In the ensuing melee, some legislators and security staff fell on the floor.
When the governor began his policy address, Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala expressed the UDF’s dissent over CAA. The UDF later alleged its MLAs were manhandled by the watch and ward staff and urged the speaker to take action against them.
GUV’S DECISION LEAVES UDF IN FIX
The governor’s decision to read out the entire speech has landed the UDF in a fix. It can now be certain that the ruling front will not support its resolution demanding recall of the governor.
DRAMA IN ASSEMBLY
Opposition MLAs interrupt the proceedings by raising slogans and boycott the address
Khan reads out the entire speech, which contained harsh remarks against the Centre
UDF alleges Governor-CM understanding, says LDF’s anti-CAA stance a farce
Speaker says the dissenting remarks by the governor will not become part of the policy address
Government’s policy for 2020-21 gives emphasis to sustainability. equity and transparency in the planned develop-ment of the state.