Come to Raj Bhavan, ATTACK me if you have GUTS, Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan warns CPI-M

Thiruvananthapuram: Amid his ongoing war of words with Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, state’s Governor Arif Mohammad Khan on Monday warned the ruling CPI-M leaders to attack him if they have guts and blamed the ruling disposition for the collapse of the entire constitutional machinery in the southern state. “They have initiated the process of collapse of constitutional machinery. I would urge them to go ahead, create more problems, barge into Raj Bhavan if you the guts, and attack me on the road. CM says that he doesn't know who I am, I know who he is,” Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan said.

 

Don't hold it (CPI(M) march) on Nov 15, hold it on a day when I'm in Raj Bhavan. I'll come there, let's have a public debate...VCs are being stopped from performing their duty, law & order issues are being created, I'm being threatened with 'dire consequences': Kerala Gov AM Khan https://t.co/OJ9LG2PVBW pic.twitter.com/BQW3TskD6U — ANI (@ANI) November 7, 2022

 

Replying to a question on the CPI-M’s proposed march on November 15, Governor Arif Mohammad Khan said, “Don't hold it (CPI-M march) on Nov 15, hold it on a day when I'm in Raj Bhavan. I'll come there, let's have a public debate...VCs are being stopped from performing their duty, law & order issues are being created, I'm being threatened with 'dire consequences.”

 

They have initiated the process of collapse of constitutional machinery. I would urge them to go ahead, create more problems, barge into Raj Bhavan if you the guts, attack me on the road. CM says that he doesn't know who I am, I know who he is: Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan https://t.co/OJ9LG2PVBW pic.twitter.com/ZGVKgaz6KD — ANI (@ANI) November 7, 2022

 

It may be noted that both Kerala Governor Khan and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan are at loggerheads over several issues and have been attacking each other in the recent past. The CPI-M leadership has also accused the Kerala Governor of trying to implement the RSS agenda in the state and polarising the state on communal lines.

CPI-M’s Kerala state Secretary MV Govindan on Sunday said that the party would fight against Governor Arif Mohammed Khan both legally and constitutionally. Addressing media persons at the party state headquarters, AKG Centre here, he also said that the party would approach the Supreme Court against the Governor.

Govindan, who is also a party Politburo member, also said that the party is coordinating other parties for a unified fight against the Governors of the respective states, and Tamil Nadu`s ruling DMK was willing to open such a joint opposition front.

He said that a Raj Bhavan march will be organised against the Governor and national leaders will take part in the meeting. Govindan also said that the controversy over increasing the retirement age of employees of the public sector undertakings of Kerala has come to an end as Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had intervened in the matter and withdrew the suggestion of increasing the retirement age from the present 56 to 60 years.

He also said that the backdoor postings in government departments were not on the agenda of the party, and the Thiruvananthapuram corporation Mayor had confirmed to the party that she had not written a letter to the CPI-M Thiruvananthapuram district Secretary apprising him of temporary vacancies in the corporation.

There was no system of posting party cadres through the backdoor, Govindan said.