Kerala Governor provokes protesters with insensible acts: Chief Minister

Pathanamthitta: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has trained his guns on Governor Arif Mohammed Khan days after the latter used offensive terms against SFI activists who blocked his vehicle and waved black flags as a mark of protest. Addressing the media here on Sunday, CM alleged that the governor has been provoking protesters with his insensible acts. 

“ The governor's acts are inviting protests. SFI is protesting against him for acting as per the commands of RSS. He has been using offensive terms against the protesters. I wonder how could a person who was in active politics call them 'bloody criminals'. This was an insensible act. A higher official is not supposed to use such derogatory terms,” Pinarayi criticised the governor.

"He (Khan) is forgetting that he is the Governor of Kerala," the CM said. Vijayan said that he had earlier also pointed out that Khan was "deliberately attempting to destroy the peace in the state through his actions" and the same has been proven by the Governor's subsequent actions. "He (Khan) has tried to create the maximum possible provocation on every issue," he added. 

Meanwhile, the governor on Saturday reiterated that the volunteers of the ruling CPM's students' wing were "criminals" to whom he was not accountable to explain any of his decisions. He had alleged that the protesting students were "criminals hired by the chief minister". Earlier this week, he had accused the CM of 'conspiring' to hurt him physically.

Khan had made the accusation after his vehicle was allegedly attacked by SFI activists while he was on his way to the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport to leave for Delhi. Pinarayi Vijayan also lashed out the Governor for attempting to confront the protesting SFI activists when they had allegedly blocked his vehicle and attacked it earlier this week.

"Has anyone ever tried to physically confront or take on those waving black flags at them? And then he (Khan) boasts that they (protestors) ran away when he went towards them. Look how provocative his statements are. His actions and interventions are totally bereft of common sense," the CM said.

The CM further said that when black flags are waved at him or his cavalcade, neither he nor the ministers or members of the Left front use derogatory words against the protesters.

"We only say the protestors should not become violent. But, we do not get down from our vehicles and try to confront them. We let the police take action," Vijayan said. 

At the same time, he alleged that the governor breached the protocol and said the central government needs to take a look into that.

“ As per the rule, the chancellor should select members from the panel recommended by the universities while nominating senate members. But he had chosen members who are not recommended by the universities,” he alleged. 

Though he denounced the governor's act against SFI workers, he ignored the media's questions about his gunman's brutal assault on Youth Congress activists.

(With PTI inputs)