Firstpost
  • Home
  • Video Shows
    Vantage Firstpost America Firstpost Africa First Sports
  • World
    US News
  • Explainers
  • News
    India Opinion Cricket Tech Entertainment Sports Health Photostories
  • Asia Cup 2025
Apple Incorporated Modi ji Justin Trudeau Trending

Sections

  • Home
  • Live TV
  • Videos
  • Shows
  • World
  • India
  • Explainers
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Cricket
  • Health
  • Tech/Auto
  • Entertainment
  • Web Stories
  • Business
  • Impact Shorts

Shows

  • Vantage
  • Firstpost America
  • Firstpost Africa
  • First Sports
  • Fast and Factual
  • Between The Lines
  • Flashback
  • Live TV

Events

  • Raisina Dialogue
  • Independence Day
  • Champions Trophy
  • Delhi Elections 2025
  • Budget 2025
  • US Elections 2024
  • Firstpost Defence Summit
Trending:
  • PM Modi in Manipur
  • Charlie Kirk killer
  • Sushila Karki
  • IND vs PAK
  • India-US ties
  • New human organ
  • Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale Movie Review
fp-logo
The big fight between the Kerala government and governor explained
Whatsapp Facebook Twitter
Whatsapp Facebook Twitter
Apple Incorporated Modi ji Justin Trudeau Trending

Sections

  • Home
  • Live TV
  • Videos
  • Shows
  • World
  • India
  • Explainers
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Cricket
  • Health
  • Tech/Auto
  • Entertainment
  • Web Stories
  • Business
  • Impact Shorts

Shows

  • Vantage
  • Firstpost America
  • Firstpost Africa
  • First Sports
  • Fast and Factual
  • Between The Lines
  • Flashback
  • Live TV

Events

  • Raisina Dialogue
  • Independence Day
  • Champions Trophy
  • Delhi Elections 2025
  • Budget 2025
  • US Elections 2024
  • Firstpost Defence Summit
  • Home
  • Explainers
  • The big fight between the Kerala government and governor explained

The big fight between the Kerala government and governor explained

FP Explainers • November 9, 2022, 18:50:00 IST
Whatsapp Facebook Twitter

The LDF-led CPI(M) government claims the governor is an agent of the RSS and is attempting to sabotage state universities through interference. Governor Arif Mohammad Khan, meanwhile, has accused the government of being biased against him and encroaching on his authority

Advertisement
Subscribe Join Us
Add as a preferred source on Google
Prefer
Firstpost
On
Google
The big fight between the Kerala government and governor explained

The battle between the Kerala government and its governor got a new twist on Wednesday. This, after the state government made it known that it plans to replace Governor Arif Mohammad Khan as Chancellor of its universities with expert academicians. The LDF-led CPI(M) government will make this move via an ordinance, higher education minister R Bindu announced. The decision to issue the ordinance was taken in a cabinet meeting, a source in the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) said. But why is this happening? And why have the governor and government been at odds? Let’s take a closer look: The state government’s move comes amid an ongoing power tussle with the governor over functioning of universities, including appointment of Vice-Chancellors. The state government claims Khan is an agent of the RSS and is attempting to sabotage state universities through interference. They claim he does not have the authority as chancellor to demand the resignation of VCs Meanwhile, Khan claims the government is biased against him and has accused the government of encroaching on his authority. Khan dares Vijayan Last week, Khan rejected allegations by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan that the former was politically interfering in the appointment of Vice-Chancellors to universities in the state and offered to resign if even one example of the same could be shown. Khan also openly challenged the Chief Minister, asking whether he would be able to resign if he was unable to prove or substantiate his allegation. “They (Left government, CM) are saying I am doing this (action against VCs) to bring RSS people. If I have nominated even one person, not just of RSS, any person, on my own using my authority, then I will resign. Will he (CM) be able to resign if he is not able to prove it? I am asking you (media),” he said, speaking to reporters in New Delhi. “When you make such a serious charge against me, you have to substantiate the same,” he added. Khan was responding to reporters who asked about Vijayan’s allegations at a convention in Thiruvananthapuram where the chief minister said the governor was trying to make universities in the state a centre of RSS and Sangh Parivar and that Khan was trying to implement the saffronisation agenda of these groups. Khan-Vijayan spar over VCs In October, Khan, armed with a recent Supreme Court order quashing appointment of the vice chancellor (VCs) of APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University for being contrary to UGC regulations, sought resignations of VCs of nine varsities in the state. The nine VCs included that of the APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University, according to a tweet by Kerala Raj Bhavan on behalf of the Governor. “Upholding the verdict of Hon’ble SupremeCourt dt 21.10.22 in Civil Appeal Nos.7634-7635 of 2022(@ SLP(c)Nos.21108-21109 of 2021), Hon’ble Governor Shri Arif Mohammed Khan has directed Vice Chancellors of 9 varsities in Kerala to tender resignation: PRO,KeralaRajBhavan,” the tweet, accompanied by a list of the varsities, said. [caption id=“attachment_11504561” align=“alignnone” width=“640”]Pinarayi Vijayan Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan[/caption] The apex court had quashed appointment of APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University Vice Chancellor Dr Rajasree MS, saying that as per the University Grants Commission, the search committee constituted by the state should have recommended a panel of not less than three suitable persons among eminent people in the field of engineering science to the chancellor but instead it sent only one name.

Vijyan had then responded to Khan, claiming he was ‘working for the RSS’ and that he lacked any such authority.

“Nine vice-chancellors have been asked to resign unilaterally under the cover of the court verdict regarding the appointment of the KTU vice-chancellor. The Governor is misusing the Chancellor post to exercise more powers than he holds. It is undemocratic and encroachment on the powers of the Vice Chancellors. The Governor is acting to further the agenda of the Sangh Parivar. A war is being waged with destructive intelligence against the universities of Kerala, which are progressing to the heights of academic excellence. What is this attack for? What is behind this other than political goals?” said Vijayan at a press conference in Palakkad. Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI-M) in October staged a protest march to the general post office in Thiruvananthapuram against Khan. The CPI-M state secretary MV Govindan also alleged that the Kerala Governor was a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) sympathiser. “The Governor was appointed as Chancellor as per the law and if the law is invalid, there would be neither chancellor nor governor. It is embarrassing that Governor thinks that he has the power of a king and whatever he is doing is right,” Govindan said. Govindan further said that the governor was trying to appoint the RSS people as the Vice Chancellors of the universities in the state. “He is working for the RSS. It is an attempt to destroy the higher education sector of Kerala. There is a paper organisation called ‘Save the University Forum’. The link of that forum is the opposition leader. By supporting the governor’s stand, the opposition leader is backing communalism,” Govindan added. Clash over university laws bill, nepotism allegations The Kerala Assembly had in September cleared the University Laws (Amendment) Bill 2022.

That bill, which limits the governor’s powers as chancellor of state universities, has not yet received his assent.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

Khan then claimed he would not allow a mechanism to be implemented that will allow the appointment of under-qualified and unqualified relatives of those in power, as well as relatives of the chief minister’s personal staff or other ministers. This came a month after Khan opposed the appointment of a CPIM leader’s wife as an associate professor in Kannur University’s Department of Malayalam. Priya Varghese, the wife of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s private secretary KK Ragesh, was accused of being unqualified for the job. With inputs from agencies Read all the  Latest News ,  Trending News ,  Cricket News ,  Bollywood News , India News  and  Entertainment News  here. Follow us on  Facebook,  Twitter and  Instagram.

Tags
ConnectTheDots Kerala government Kerala governor Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan Arif Mohammed Khan Governor Arif Mohammad Khan
End of Article
Latest News
Find us on YouTube
Subscribe
End of Article

Impact Shorts

Ghaziabad woman dead, pilgrims attacked in bus… How Nepal’s Gen-Z protests turned into a living hell for Indian tourists

Ghaziabad woman dead, pilgrims attacked in bus… How Nepal’s Gen-Z protests turned into a living hell for Indian tourists

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli resigned following violent protests in Nepal. An Indian woman from Ghaziabad died trying to escape a hotel fire set by protesters. Indian tourists faced attacks and disruptions, with some stranded at the Nepal-China border during the unrest.

More Impact Shorts

Top Stories

Russian drones over Poland: Trump’s tepid reaction a wake-up call for Nato?

Russian drones over Poland: Trump’s tepid reaction a wake-up call for Nato?

As Russia pushes east, Ukraine faces mounting pressure to defend its heartland

As Russia pushes east, Ukraine faces mounting pressure to defend its heartland

Why Mossad was not on board with Israel’s strike on Hamas in Qatar

Why Mossad was not on board with Israel’s strike on Hamas in Qatar

Turkey: Erdogan's police arrest opposition mayor Hasan Mutlu, dozens officials in corruption probe

Turkey: Erdogan's police arrest opposition mayor Hasan Mutlu, dozens officials in corruption probe

Russian drones over Poland: Trump’s tepid reaction a wake-up call for Nato?

Russian drones over Poland: Trump’s tepid reaction a wake-up call for Nato?

As Russia pushes east, Ukraine faces mounting pressure to defend its heartland

As Russia pushes east, Ukraine faces mounting pressure to defend its heartland

Why Mossad was not on board with Israel’s strike on Hamas in Qatar

Why Mossad was not on board with Israel’s strike on Hamas in Qatar

Turkey: Erdogan's police arrest opposition mayor Hasan Mutlu, dozens officials in corruption probe

Turkey: Erdogan's police arrest opposition mayor Hasan Mutlu, dozens officials in corruption probe

Top Shows

Vantage Firstpost America Firstpost Africa First Sports
Latest News About Firstpost
Most Searched Categories
  • Web Stories
  • World
  • India
  • Explainers
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Cricket
  • Tech/Auto
  • Entertainment
  • IPL 2025
NETWORK18 SITES
  • News18
  • Money Control
  • CNBC TV18
  • Forbes India
  • Advertise with us
  • Sitemap
Firstpost Logo

is on YouTube

Subscribe Now

Copyright @ 2024. Firstpost - All Rights Reserved

About Us Contact Us Privacy Policy Cookie Policy Terms Of Use
Home Video Shorts Live TV