THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Governor Arif Mohammed Khan warned the government against trying to control Raj Bhavan, and also made scathing criticisms against appointing political functionaries in personal staff of ministers only to make them eligible for full pensions for the rest of their lives at the cost of the state exchequer.
Speaking to the media here on Saturday before leaving for New Delhi, the governor said that he has every right and it is his constitutional duty to advise the government. "Nowhere in the country, personal staff appointed on a co-terminus basis become entitled to pensionary benefits. In Kerala, they become entitled to pensionary benefits after only two years, and such a scheme has been drawn that one set of people are made to resign after two years and a new set of people is brought in so that these people, who are essentially political workers, are being funded by the state exchequer," he said.
He said that every employee in the state, at every level, is asked to pay money so that after retirement, they can receive pensionary benefits. But this special class has been created, who in two years get these benefits. He said that this goes against constitutional morality and he requested the chief minister to scrap it and make it part of the policy address.
"I have called for the file and I am going to pursue this matter. This is a gross violation and misuse of the money of the people of Kerala. I am here not to run the administration but to ensure that business of the government is conducted in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution and constitutional morality," he said.
Khan warned that he would not accept anybody from Kerala government trying to control the Raj Bhavan indirectly, by imposing their choice of Raj Bhavan staff on the governor.
When asked about removal of KR Jyothilal as secretary (GAD), he said that he did not ask the chief minister to take action against anyone specifically. "I told them that this letter cannot be accepted and you will have to find out who is behind it and take appropriate action, otherwise we are heading towards a constitutional crisis. In their judgement, they held him responsible," Khan said. The officers only carry out the instructions of the government, he added.
The governor criticized former minister AK Balan for his remarks against him. The governor said that maybe Balan wanted to catch the attention of the chief minister since he is jobless now. "If your name is Balan, it doesn't mean that you refuse to grow and continue to behave in a 'baalisham' (childish) manner," he said.
Clarifying on Hari S Kartha's appointment as his additional personal assistant, the governor said that he recommended it only after he resigned from party responsibilities. The governor said that he (Kartha) told him that he is not active but is a special invitee to the party state committee. But before sending his papers to the government for appointment to the governor's staff, he resigned from the party post. Besides, the matter was referred to the intelligence division of Kerala police to avail a report before appointing him in the staff, he added.
The governor did not mince his words for opposition leader VD Satheesan either. "For the leader of opposition, I will say that he is making absolutely irresponsible statements. My advice to him is to go and sit with Oommen Chandy ji and Ramesh Chennithala ji and try to learn from them how a leader of opposition should behave," he said.
Meanwhile, KPCC president K Sudhakaran said that the governor was playing politics and he had no right to intervene in the appointment of personal staff of ministers. He said that Satheesan is a well-performing opposition leader and the governor was not entrusted to analyze his performance. He said that Congress and UDF will discuss demanding the Centre to recall the governor.
