Thiruvananthapuram : Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan has written to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan informing he has “ceased to enjoy pleasure” in Finance Minister K N Balagopal, accusing him of making speech undermining unity, and urged the CM to take constitutionally appropriate action against his cabinet colleague, a demand turned down by the latter.
The Chief Minister has shot back a letter to the Governor rejecting his demand seeking action against Balagopal, an official source told PTI.
He reiterated his trust in Balagopal, saying it remains “undiminished.”
In his letter, the Governor did not explicitly seek the removal/withdrawal of Balagopal from the LDF cabinet but it seemed to be the essence of his communication to Vijayan.
Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan slams Kerala's Finance Minister for raising question that how, the governor, who hails from Uttar Pradesh can understand Kerala's education system?
This is how these people want to divide our nation. They must be called out & condemned by all!! pic.twitter.com/lThQN655EQ
— Priti Gandhi – प्रीति गांधी (@MrsGandhi) October 23, 2022
A highly placed source said that in his response, Vijayan said that from a constitutional perspective and factoring in the democratic conventions and traditions of the country, the statement cannot warrant a ground for cessation of enjoyment of the Governor’s pleasure.
The Governor will appreciate that no further action needs to be taken in the matter, Vijayan said, according to the source.
In his letter to the CM, the Governor alleged that Balagopal delivered a speech at a University campus here on October 18, seeking to stoke the fire of regionalism and provincialism and undermining the unity of India and he was left with no option but to convey that the Finance Minister has “ceased to enjoy my pleasure”.
Stating the reported statements of Balagopal is nothing short of a violation of the oath he had administered to him, Khan directed Vijayan to take action which was constitutionally appropriate.
This is the first such move by the governor after Raj Bhavan PRO tweeted on October 17 that the chief minister and Council of Ministers have the right to advise the governor but statements of individual ministers that lower the dignity of the office of the Governor, can invite action including “withdrawal of pleasure.”
The NAAC grading of our Universities is also assessed and granted by non-Keralite Peer Teams, the Governor said in his letter to the CM.
Khan said the comments of the Finance Minister challenge not only the national unity and integrity but also the Constitutional Convention that makes it necessary that the Governor of each state shall be from outside the state.
He stated Balagopal also seems to be blissfully unaware that Banaras Hindu University is a Central University and it does not come under the administrative control of the Uttar Pradesh government it had more Vice Chancellors from other states including from southern than from UP. — PTI