Kerala govt may consider approaching Centre to get Governor removed, says CM Vijayan

Kollam: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday said his government may consider approaching the Union Government seeking the recall of Governor Arif Mohammed Khan, who been at loggerheads with the Left party over various issues.

Vijayan, addressing the media here as part of the ongoing Nava Kerala Sadas, said Khan was trying to disrupt the peaceful atmosphere in the state by creating deliberate provocation.

"In order to maintain a cordial Centre-state relationship, the actions of the Governor should be rectified. The state government feels that he is trying to disrupt peace and harmony in the state. It seems like we will have to ask the Centre to remove him," Vijayan answered to the various queries.

Lashing out at Khan, Vijayan also said that the Governor has shifted to making personal attacks and has been blurting out whatever comes to his mind.

"His behaviour violates a certain etiquette to be followed by a Governor. The Centre should examine this," Vijayan said.

The Left leader continued his attack on Khan and said he should explain from where he received the list of RSS nominees to the senate of the universities.

"The Sangh Parivar wants to control universities across the country. But their agenda to control the higher education sector and to implement saffronisation will not work in Kerala," Vijayan said.

He also said usually the Governor nominates the people to the senate from the list prepared by the university but in this case, Khan appointed Sangh Parivar affiliates.

The SFI has been staging protests against the Governor alleging that he has been pushing BJP-RSS nominees to the senate of various universities in Kerala using his authority as the chancellor of universities in the state.

The SFI has been alleging that Khan's actions were part of the saffronisation agenda of the BJP.