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.

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.

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

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