PK Kunhalikutty
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Muslim League, which has been the most vocal within the UDF against Governor Arif Mohammed Khan, asserted in the assembly its resolve to get him removed as chancellor of the state universities when the Bills to this effect came up for discussions on Tuesday.
Deputy Leader of the Opposition and Muslim League leader P K Kunhalikutty said attempts by Khan to become a “parallel government” cannot be accepted. He said the governor’s attempts to capture power in universities will not succeed.
The Muslim League’s strident stance against the governor came as a shot in the arm for the LDF government which is engaged in a bitter feud with him on various issues. The LDF had on many occasions lauded the League’s hardline approach towards Khan, prompting the Congress too to eventually adopt a similar line in the assembly.
“The Opposition has differences of opinion with the government on how universities are being administered. However, it is not right for the governor to overstep his brief and take control of everything,” Kunhalikutty said.
The Muslim League leader said the governor is supposed to act on the advise of the government and added that the removal of the governor as chancellor was both his party’s stance and that of the Opposition as well.
Kunhalikutty’s assertion in assembly on Tuesday also gave credence to reports that the League had exerted pressure on the UDF to get Congress and other constituents to sharpen their attacks on Khan. Law Minister P Rajeeve highlighted this in his reply to the discussion by stating that the League took an exemplary stance by sensing a political motive behind the governor’s move to remove vice-chancellors.
