Kerala guv rejects Pinarayi Vijayan govt's explanation on moving SC against CAA, calls move ‘unlawful’

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala governor Arif Mohammed Khan on Monday rejected the Left Front government’s explanation over moving the Supreme Court against the Citizenship Amendment Act without informing him and said it was “unlawful”. “No explanation can satisfy me”, the governor told reporters on Monday, a day after making it clear that he would not remain a “mute spectator” as he sought a report from the Pinarayi Vijayan government. Khan’s strongly-worded reaction came hours after state Chief Secretary Tom Jose met him at the Raj Bhavan and explained the grounds under which the state government filed a suit in the Supreme Court against the Centre. [caption id=“attachment_7277301” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Kerala governor Arif Mohammad Khan. Image courtesy News18[/caption] The chief secretary, in the brief meeting, was also understood to have informed the governor that the government had not willfully violated any rules, sources said. However, hours later, the governor, who was on his way to Ayodhya, told reporters at the airport that no explanation of theirs (government) can satisfy him as what they did was “unlawful” and “not legally correct”. “My view is that approval is needed. They have gone to the Supreme Court without informing me. That is an unlawful act… not legally correct. So none of their explanations can satisfy me,” he said. However, Khan maintained that the matter was neither a “clash of egos nor any personal differences.” In a democracy, individuals are bestowed with brief authority, he said, adding “that authority does not give the license to anybody to violate the law or the rules”. Khan had said that as per Rule of Business Sec 34 (2) sub section 5, the state government should inform the Governor on matters affecting relations between the state and the Centre. Though the Opposition Congress has criticised the governor for holding press meets and airing his opinion in public, the BJP in the state extended him complete support. However, giving a surprise to political circles, veteran saffron party leader and the lone BJP MLA in the state assembly, O Rajagopal, on Monday criticised the governor, saying that he should show some “restraint”. “It is not proper for the Governor and the government make public statements. Differences of opinion should be resolved in private,” he told reporters. Khan’s stand had drawn the ire of the ruling front with CPM mouthpiece Deshabhimani slamming him for making “political statements” and alleging he was “threatening” the state in a “tough language”.