Kannur:  CPM state secretariat member and former MLA M Swaraj has kicked up a controversy on Monday as he ridiculed Kerala governor Arif Muhammad Khan, saying that the constitution doesn’t demand a person with a sound mindset as governor. 

While criticising Arif Muhammad Khan’s earlier statement that the CPM in Kerala always upheld the values of foreign ideas in a programme organised by KSEB Officers Association, a pro left outfi, Swaraj, the firebrand leader of CPM in Kerala has lashed out at Khan saying that foolishness should not occur to a person, even if the person is a governor.

“There are certain qualifications needed for a person to become MLA, MP, Minister, Speaker, Chief Minister and Prime Minister to fulfil the duties demanded by these posts. It is being clearly stated in the constitution of India. One of the conditions prescribed is that the person who occupies these positions should have a sound mind which means the person should not be mad. But, the post of governor is the only one which does not demand this condition. This is very interesting. We can not say that, perhaps, the far-sighted members of constituent assembly might have anticipated that one day Arif Muhammad Khan would become the governor of Kerala and had cut out this condition from the constitution. There is only one condition to become a governor as the person should be of 35 years of age”, said Swaraj.