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Arif Muhammad Khan-Thomas Issac
Thiruvananthapuram: CPM veteran and former finance minister Thomas Issac has fired a salvo against Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan amid the ongoing tussle. According to Issac, the Governor is not king of the state and the person “cannot carry the bills in pocket without signing it.”
Issac pointed out that the governor can return the file to the Assembly if he is not interested in signing it. “And if, the bill is sent for the second time, then the person should sign it. Governor cannot do anything other than that,” he said.
Issac elaborated on the duties and powers of governor and how they should behave with a state government. “If there is some doubt one can read the constitution,” he said.
He further attacked Khan and said that returning the bill without taking a look is a “prejudiced act”.
"Wherever there is a non-BJP government, they are using the Governor to create problems in those states. Look at Maharashtra, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Jharkhand, it is happening in all those places, not just Kerala," he alleged.
Meanwhile, Local Self-Government Minister M B Rajesh alleged that the BJP knows it cannot buy or intimidate Left MLAs, as it did in other states like Karnataka and Goa, and "therefore, they are trying to create a Constitutional crisis here."
Governor's conduct indicates "whom he is working for and where is the remote control."
"The RSS is creating this constitutional crisis by using the Governor," he added.
They said withholding assent to the University Laws and Lok Ayukta Amendment Bills by the Governor and saying in advance that he will not sign them without even seeing them indicates a pre-conceived mindset.
The reactions of the two CPM eaders come a day after Khan held an unprecedented press conference at the Raj Bhavan to release video clips of the alleged heckling against him at Kannur University in 2019 and letters sent to him by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on interference in university matters.
At the press meet, Khan had also accused the chief minister and the state government of using "pressure tactics" against the Raj Bhavan and using force to silence voices of dissent.
He had also indicated that he was against the University Laws and Lok Ayukta Amendment Bills.
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