Thiruvananthapuram: Amid a high voltage protest and boycott by the opposition Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF), Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan on Wednesday presented his policy address in the assembly and read out references to anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) resolution passed by the House, despite disagreeing with it.
Reading out the anti-CAA stand of the state government, the Governor said: “Our citizenship can never be on the basis of religion as this goes against the grain of secularism, which is part of the basic structure of our constitution.”
Referring to the unanimous anti-CAA resolution passed by the assembly, Khan, who has been at loggerheads with the state government for moving the Supreme court against the law and the resolution against it, said the government believes the Act “goes against the cardinal principles” underlying the Constitution.
“Strong states and strong centre are pillars of our federalism. The voices of genuine apprehension of the states need to be considered by the central government in the right spirit keeping broad national interest in mind, particularly when constitutional values are involved and there are widespread anxieties and apprehensions among a large number of our citizenry,” he said.
It’s learnt that the governor decided to read out the reference to the state’s anti-CAA stance after a letter was sent by Pinarayi Vijayan this morning, in which the chief minister had requested Khan to read the policy address “in its entirety sans any additions or deletions”.
“Since the constitutional function under Art 176 is exercised with the aid and advise of the council of ministers, it is requested that the address approved by the council of ministers be read in its entirety sans any additions or deletions”, the letter stated.
The day also saw an unprecedented protest by the UDF members, who also boycotted the policy address.
As the governor was being ushered into the assembly hall by Speaker P. Sreeramakrishnan and Chief Minister Vijayan, UDF members, blocked Khan, raised “Go Back” slogans holding aloft ‘Repeal CAA’ and ‘Recall Governor’ placards and banners.
Speaker was seen repeatedly trying to pacify the agitating MLAs but in vain, after which the watch and ward personnel, who stood as a wall protecting the governor, cleared his path to the dais.
In his policy address, Khan said though he had his “reservations and disagreement” over the subject, he would read the para 18 containing reference to anti-CAA matter, just to “honour” the wish of the chief minister.
When Khan began his policy address, the opposition members trooped out of the assembly hall raising slogans and staged a sit in protest at the gate of the Assembly.
“This august body (Kerala Assembly) unanimously passed a resolution requesting the Central government to abrogate the CAA 2019 which my government believes goes against the cardinal principles underlying our Constitution,” he said.
The government has also filed a petition in the Supreme Court invoking Art 131 of the constitution, the governor said.
As he was leaving the assembly, reporters asked him about the unprecedented protest faced by him, to which the Governor quipped that he had faced worst protests than this.
Meanwhile, taken by surprise over the governor’s move to read out Anti CAA reference in his address, Leader of the Opposition, Ramesh Chennithala, who protested along with his front MLAs, told media that the state government and the governor had come to a “truce”.
“The double stand of the chief minister has been exposed now. The CM begged the governor to read the policy address in full. Why is the CM silent on the governor who has insulted the people of Kerala? This is a ploy to escape from the Lavlin case, which may come up soon,” Chennithala alleged.
The Top Court has been hearing a batch of petitions challenging the Kerala High Court’s 2018 order discharging Vijayan, the then state power minister and others in an alleged graft case involving an award of contract to a Canadian firm SNC-Lavalin for the renovation and modernisation of three Hydroelectric projects in 1997.
Expressing solidarity with the governor, Bharatiya Janata Party’s Kerala unit took out a march to the Assembly complex. Attacking the UDF, former BJP President, Kummanam Rajashekharan asked: “Who gave authority to Congress to stop the governor?”
“By blocking the governor, the UDF has insulted the people of Kerala,” he said.
Khan had made it clear that he was not a “rubber stamp” and it was “improper” that he was not informed by the government before moving the apex court.
