After VCs, Kerala Governor seeks removal of state Finance Minister

The already tense situation between the Kerala government and governor worsened with the latter seeking action against state finance minister K N Balagopal, accusing the minister of violating his oath of office.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, however, rejected the governor’s contention and said there was no need for action to be taken.

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Governor Arif Mohammed Khan sent a letter to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday stating that the finance minister “has ceased to enjoy my pleasure” for the latter’s unsavoury comment, and sought appropriate action against Balagopal for “violation of oath”.

Balagopal, recently, had commented saying, “Some people who are accustomed to the practices in places like Uttar Pradesh might not be able to understand the democratic nature in which universities function in Kerala.”

It was considered as an attack on Khan’s action taken against the universities in Kerala.

The governor termed the minister’s remarks as seditious and one affecting national integrity and unity as well as violation of oath.

“I hope that you will consider the matter with the seriousness it deserves and take action which is constitutionally appropriate,” the governor wrote in his letter to the Chief Minister.

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In his reply, however, the chief minister said that Balagopal’s remarks did not warrant cessation of pleasure and hence sought excuse from taking any action.

Although the Congress, in Opposition in the state, flayed the Governor’s letter, it maintained that there was a “fake encounter” going on.

“There is no provision for the governor to remove the minister and hence the letter seeking action against the minister should be rejected. But what is now going on was just a fake encounter between the governor and the Left-front government to mislead people,” said Opposition leader V D Satheesan.

Khan’s latest move comes subsequent to him removing vice-chancellors of 11 universities in the state, and him claiming to exercise the provisions of Article 164 of the Constitution. This had triggered an intense debate over whether he could seek removal of a minister under the said article.

Khan, in a tweet, had said that ministers who made statements defaming Khan’s office would face actions such as “withdrawal of pleasure”. He had, however, later clarified that he never meant he would sack a minister, but would ask the chief minister to decide on the action to be taken.

Among these latest developments, sources in the government said that the chances have increased for an individual to move court and seek action against the minister for violation of oath, which could pose a problem for the ruling government.