Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) State president K. Surendran has said that there is no need for President’s rule in Kerala as Governor Arif Mohammed Khan is capable of ensuring law and order in the State.
Reacting to reports that the Governor’s ongoing spat with the Left front government is aimed at paving the way for President’s rule in Kerala, Mr. Surendran said the people opposing Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan knew “how to bring him on the right path.”
“Here is a Governor who has informed the State Police Chief that he does not require any police protection, while the Chief Minister continues to travel under a heavy police cover and the protection of his security personnel and goons of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI),” Mr. Surendran told mediapersons in Kochi on December 18 (Monday).
Regarding the banners put up by activists of the Students’ Federation of India (SFI) against the Governor on the Calicut University campus, Mr. Surendran asked the Chief Minister to rein in his youth cadre or else face protests by BJP activists at the ongoing Navakerala Sadas outreach programme of the Cabinet.
‘Won’t bow down to threats’
“A person who is reportedly absconding and facing several criminal cases is threatening the Governor from entering university campuses,” said Mr. Surendran referring to the statement by P.M. Arsho, State secretary of the SFI. “The Governor will not bow down to such futile threats,” he said.
Mr. Surendran said that the Governor, in his capacity as the Chancellor of the State universities, will “clean up” the university Senate bodies by appointing people who will ensure the autonomy of higher educational institutions.
“The State universities will be freed from the clutches of rule by the Communist Party of India (Marxist),” he said.
Mr. Surendran also claimed that his party will not submit any letters before the Governor asking to nominate any person to the university bodies. He hoped that Mr. Khan will have another five-year term as the Governor of Kerala.
