Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan took a jab at Governor Arif Mohammed Khan on Sunday, accusing him of ‘deliberate attempts at destroying the peace’ in the southern region of the state through provocative statements.
Vijayan made these assertions during a press conference held as part of the Nava Kerala Sadas, an outreach programme of the government. His response came following questions about the Governor labelling protesting SFI activists as “criminals.”
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Highlighting previous incidents where the Governor’s actions allegedly aimed to disrupt peace, Vijayan pointed out, “He (Khan) has tried to create the maximum possible provocation on every issue,” he added. The CM also condemned Khan’s use of derogatory terms like “criminals” and “goondas” for the protesting CPI(M)’s student wing activists.
“How can he use such rude words against the protesters?” he asked, as PTI reported.
Vijayan was responding to Khan’s recent restatement that volunteers from the ruling CPI(M)’s student wing were “criminals” and his refusal to justify decisions to them. Khan alleged that the protesting students were “criminals hired by the chief minister.”
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Earlier in the week, Khan had accused the CM of plotting physical harm against him after SFI activists allegedly attacked his vehicle on the way to Thiruvananthapuram International Airport.
Khan, yesterday restated that the volunteers from the ruling CPI(M)’s student wing were considered “criminals” and that he wouldn’t justify his decisions to them. He alleged that the protesting students were “criminals hired by the chief minister.”
On Sunday, Vijayan lashed at the Governor for confronting protesting SFI activists when they allegedly blocked and attacked his vehicle earlier in the week. He mentioned that such actions by the Governor were devoid of common sense and normal protocols, urging the central government to look into the matter.
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The CM highlighted that when faced with black flags, neither he nor the Left Front members resort to derogatory remarks against protesters. They refrain from confronting them, instead allowing the police to take necessary action.
The SFI has been conducting widespread protests against the Governor, accusing him of influencing BJP-RSS nominees’ appointments to university senates in Kerala. Alleging that Khan’s actions are part of the BJP’s “saffronisation” agenda, the SFI condemned his involvement in university chancellorship appointments.