Kerala: Governor-Government lose-lose tussle heading to its anticlimax

@the_news_21

Thiruvananthapuram: The long-drawn lose-lose tussle between Governor Arif Mohammad Khan and the LDF Government headed by CPI(M) veteran Pinarayi Vijayan seems to be heading to an anticlimax. 

The ruling front mobilized thousands on the tree-lined avenue before the Raj Bhavan in the heart of the state capital today. But it turned out to be a day when the principal occupant of the elegant mansion is away in New Delhi. A hard-boiled politician himself before becoming governor, 72-year-old-year-old Arif Mohammad Khan would have preferred to watch the show from a safe distance away, relishing every bit of the street play.

The LDF organised the protest under the banner of a proxy outfit called the Higher Education Protection Council. It had claimed that close to 100,000 people converge for the demonstration. Though the Chief Minister and his cabinet colleagues chose to away from making their physical presence,  all the top leaders of the CPI(M) and allies joined the marchers. The protest was addressed by CPI (M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury, and other leaders, including Tiruchi Shiva, a DMK MP from Tamil Nadu.

The immediate cause that flared up the governor-government belligerence was Arif Mohammad Khan’s quit notice to vice-chancellors of seven universities in the state a few weeks back, in his capacity as Chancellor of universities. The governor’s decision followed a Supreme Court order removing the Vice-chancellor of the state’s Technical University on the ground that the appointment was made without going through the proper procedures.  This came in handy to Khan, who had already been on a collision course with the government alleging that many high-profile appointments to universities involved a flagrant violation of norms, including the guidelines of the University Grants Commission (UGC). The Governor’s action against the VCs is pending judicial scrutiny in the Kerala High Court.

Taking the gauntlet thrown down by the governor, the state cabinet last week adopted an ordinance for the removal of the governor from the chancellorship of universities. The ordinance has been sent to the Raj Bhavan but the governor is yet to give his assent. He has hinted that instead of signing on the dotted line, he would forward the ordinance to the President.

The Government has also made known its plan to convene a session of the state assembly to replace bring in legislation on the subject. Once the bill is cleared by the house, it again will go to the Raj Bhavan. The considered legal view is that once this happens, the governor will ultimately have no option but to give assent to it.

To the great discomfiture of the government on the eve of the massive protest against the governor, Kerala High Court quashed the appointment of the vice-chancellor of the state fisheries sciences university. This has further bolstered the governor’s position. The legal circles see a distinct possibility of this ruling weighing on the fate of other VCs pending in the High Court.

The governor-government clash is unlikely to end soon. Khan had often suggested he was not keen to keep the chancellorship of universities. But so long as he held the position he would not turn a blind eye to the ill-doings of the government. The ruling front, on its part, has been running a high-pitched campaign against Khan accusing him of debasing the office he holds by acting as a tool in the game that the Sangh Parivar plays.  

Also Read: Shashi Tharoor’s exclusion from top panel signals Congress in no mood to change

The main opposition Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) has practically chosen to sit in the gallery, gleefully watching the murky clash. As expected, the BJP has openly assumed the governor’s side.

A battle-hardened veteran, Khan has proved a match to the aggressiveness of the country’s lone Left government. Of late, he has adopted a tit-for-tat routine. He never allows going unreturned a single salvo fired at him. No other governor in the state before had appeared before the media so often to air differences with the governor openly.

Amid the continuing rift, discerning observers feel that it is high time both sides are restrained, as no side is going to win or lose the skirmish. The Governor cannot invoke the constitutional provisions to dismiss the government unless the situation turns so serious. The Government cannot get the governor removed unless the Centre so desires.

@the_news_21

Thiruvananthapuram: The long-drawn lose-lose tussle between Governor Arif Mohammad Khan and the LDF Government headed by CPI(M) veteran Pinarayi Vijayan seems to be heading to an anticlimax. 

The ruling front mobilized thousands on the tree-lined avenue before the Raj Bhavan in the heart of the state capital today. But it turned out to be a day when the principal occupant of the elegant mansion is away in New Delhi. A hard-boiled politician himself before becoming governor, 72-year-old-year-old Arif Mohammad Khan would have preferred to watch the show from a safe distance away, relishing every bit of the street play.

The LDF organised the protest under the banner of a proxy outfit called the Higher Education Protection Council. It had claimed that close to 100,000 people converge for the demonstration. Though the Chief Minister and his cabinet colleagues chose to away from making their physical presence,  all the top leaders of the CPI(M) and allies joined the marchers. The protest was addressed by CPI (M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury, and other leaders, including Tiruchi Shiva, a DMK MP from Tamil Nadu.

The immediate cause that flared up the governor-government belligerence was Arif Mohammad Khan’s quit notice to vice-chancellors of seven universities in the state a few weeks back, in his capacity as Chancellor of universities. The governor’s decision followed a Supreme Court order removing the Vice-chancellor of the state’s Technical University on the ground that the appointment was made without going through the proper procedures.  This came in handy to Khan, who had already been on a collision course with the government alleging that many high-profile appointments to universities involved a flagrant violation of norms, including the guidelines of the University Grants Commission (UGC). The Governor’s action against the VCs is pending judicial scrutiny in the Kerala High Court.

Taking the gauntlet thrown down by the governor, the state cabinet last week adopted an ordinance for the removal of the governor from the chancellorship of universities. The ordinance has been sent to the Raj Bhavan but the governor is yet to give his assent. He has hinted that instead of signing on the dotted line, he would forward the ordinance to the President.

The Government has also made known its plan to convene a session of the state assembly to replace bring in legislation on the subject. Once the bill is cleared by the house, it again will go to the Raj Bhavan. The considered legal view is that once this happens, the governor will ultimately have no option but to give assent to it.

To the great discomfiture of the government on the eve of the massive protest against the governor, Kerala High Court quashed the appointment of the vice-chancellor of the state fisheries sciences university. This has further bolstered the governor’s position. The legal circles see a distinct possibility of this ruling weighing on the fate of other VCs pending in the High Court.

The governor-government clash is unlikely to end soon. Khan had often suggested he was not keen to keep the chancellorship of universities. But so long as he held the position he would not turn a blind eye to the ill-doings of the government. The ruling front, on its part, has been running a high-pitched campaign against Khan accusing him of debasing the office he holds by acting as a tool in the game that the Sangh Parivar plays.  

Also Read: Shashi Tharoor’s exclusion from top panel signals Congress in no mood to change

The main opposition Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) has practically chosen to sit in the gallery, gleefully watching the murky clash. As expected, the BJP has openly assumed the governor’s side.

A battle-hardened veteran, Khan has proved a match to the aggressiveness of the country’s lone Left government. Of late, he has adopted a tit-for-tat routine. He never allows going unreturned a single salvo fired at him. No other governor in the state before had appeared before the media so often to air differences with the governor openly.

Amid the continuing rift, discerning observers feel that it is high time both sides are restrained, as no side is going to win or lose the skirmish. The Governor cannot invoke the constitutional provisions to dismiss the government unless the situation turns so serious. The Government cannot get the governor removed unless the Centre so desires.