The ongoing war of words between the Kerala government and Governor Arif Mohammed Khan escalated further on Sunday with minister PA Mohamed Riyas criticising the latter for targeting CM Pinarayi Vijayan and his native district.
Criticising Khan in harsh words, Riyas, who is the Minister for Tourism and Public Works Department, said the Governor holds hatred for the Kerala Chief Minister and Kannur.
Don’t think we don’t know to say shut your bloody mouth mister Arif Mohammed Khan. We are stopping short of saying so out of respect for the post of Governor, Malayala Manorama reported Mohamed Riyas as saying in Pathanmathitta.
"Distorting and ignoring history is a part of the (Governor’s) plan to function in a way the RSS prefers. This is why Arif Mohammed Khan is set out to attack Kerala chief minister and his native Kannur," the report quoted the Beypore legislature as saying.
"Wherever the BJP fails to come into power, positions including that of the Governor have become a political tool. The outcry against such politically motivated moves by Governors has erupted in Congress-ruled states. But the Congress in Kerala alone is turning a blind eye towards such incidents," Manorama report added PA Mohamed Riyas as saying.
CPM-backed Students Federation of India (SFI) has been staging widespread protests against the Governor alleging that he has been pushing the BJP-RSS nominees to the senate of various universities in Kerala using his authority as the Chancellor of the universities in the state. The SFI has been alleging that Khan’s actions were part of the saffronisation agenda of the BJP.
Amidst protests, Khan on Saturday had said at the Calicut University that he was not scared of anyone and alleged that the protesting students were "criminals hired by the chief minister".
"They are all criminals. They have been hired by the chief minister. Whatever protest is there, it is sponsored by the chief minister personally," Khan said, adding that it was because CM Pinarayi Vijayan wanted to divert attention from the financial crisis faced by the state.
Khan claimed that the state government was announcing welfare measures without creating wealth and all the prosperity in the state was from the money coming from abroad.
"The CM is used to this because he comes from Kannur. Kannur has this bloody history where they have been killing each other," Khan said.
When asked about the SFI’s allegation of saffronisation and the BJP-RSS nominees to the senate of various universities, Khan said he was not accountable to anyone except the President of India.
"Who are they to ask? I recommended the names after considering the nominations received from various sources. I am accountable only to the President of India. Ultimately it is my discretion. Why should I explain it to them? I am not accountable to criminals," Khan said.
– With PTI inputs
