STATUTORY TIFF

There seems to be no let-up in the mortal combat between the governor and the chief minister in God’s own country.

- By Jeemon Jacob

Kerala governor Arif Mohammad Khan was in New Delhi when the ruling Left Democratic Front mounted a mega protest under the banner of the ‘Education Protection Forum’ outside the Raj Bhavan in Thiruvananthapuram against what it called Khan’s attempts to “saffronise educational institutions” in the state. Khan watched on television as CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury inaugurated the protests, calling it a people’s movement against a governor trying to execute a right-wing political agenda.

“Kerala is the only state where an individual is treated like a human being and not on the basis of caste or religion,” Yechury said. “The BJP is trying to destroy Kerala’s unique identity and we will fight the dark forces with undying spirit.”

The CPI(M) is making common cause with other Opposition parties that are similarly resisting the BJP’s efforts to destabilise non-BJP governments through governors asserting their constitutional authority over elected governments. The battle in Kerala itself has been going on for nearly a year, with Khan taking on the Pinarayi Vijayan government on a number of issues. Those run a controversial gamut, from smuggling onward, but the prize fight is over what Khan calls “nepotism” in the appointment of vice-chancellors to universities in the state.