Kerala Governor levels serious charges against CM Pinarayi Vijayan
The Governor alleged that the chief minister directly interfered in the reappointment of the Kannur University Vice-Chancellor. To substantiate his claims, the Governor shared the letters sent to him by the Chief Minister with the media.
FollowThe war of words between Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan escalated on Monday, with the former levelling serious charges over the functioning of state universities and the state government.
The Governor alleged that the chief minister directly interfered in the reappointment of the Kannur University Vice-Chancellor. To substantiate his claims, the Governor shared the letters sent to him by the Chief Minister with the media.
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The Governor claimed that all of the state government's attention is focused on silencing the voice of those differing from it. Even the Raj Bhavan is not spared, he said.
The Governor explained that the Chief Minister sent the first letter on December 8, 2021, requesting the re-appointment of the vice-chancellor. The Governor also alleged that the chief minister had directly reached the Raj Bhavan regarding the re-appointment of Kannur University Vice-Chancellor. Claiming that there was a lot of pressure, the Governor said that even the state attorney general gave legal advice unsolicited by him.
The Governor said he received a second letter on December 16 in which the chief minister asked him to continue as Chancellor. The governor explained that he received the last letter on January 16, in which the chief minister stated that he would not interfere in the university administration.
Further lashing out at the Left Democratic Front government, Governor Khan said it was shameful that state government revenue is primarily based on lottery and alcohol sales.
To recall, Governor Khan had, as Chancellor of state's universities -- stayed the appointment of Priya Varghese, wife of Chief Minister's private secretary K K Ragesh, as a Malayalam Associate Professor in Kannur University last week and alleged nepotism in the university's move.
It had been proposed to appoint Varghese as an associate professor in the Malayalam department of the university, which triggered a huge political row as she had the lowest research score but the highest in the interview round and was then declared first in the selection process.
However, Higher Education Minister R Bindu had said that the state government was not involved in making appointments in the universities and only the universities can do that and that too as per the regulations regarding the same.
