Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday accused Governor Arif Mohammed Khan of deliberately ‘attempting to destroy’ the peace in the southern state by making provocative statements. The hard-hitting accusation by the CM came during a press conference held here as part of the Nava Kerala Sadas, an outreach programme of the state government.
Responding to reporters’ queries about the Governor calling the protesting SFI activists as “criminals”, Vijayan said Khan has “reached a situation where he is saying whatever comes to mind”. “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.
The CM also criticised Khan for referring to the protesting activists of the CPI(M)’s student wing — the Students Federation of India — as “criminals” and “goondas”. “How can he use such rude words against the protesters?” he asked. Khan, a day ago, reiterated that the volunteers of the ruling CPI(M)’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. On Sunday, Vijayan 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.
