Kerala Governor to approach Centre on attack against him

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan lashed out against Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and said that he would approach the Centre as the Kerala government had not taken any action against the attack against him during the History Conference hosted by Kannur University in December 2019.

Arif Mohammed Khan had earlier alleged that during the Indian History Conference, historian Irfan Habib, and others had spoken for over one and half hours against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and that when he was responding to that there was an attempt to physically assault him. The Kerala Governor had alleged that his ADC Manoj Pande's shirt was torn in the confrontation and that this was an attempt on his life.

The Kerala Governor told the media persons at Kochi that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan was behind the conspiracy and that the Kerala Police had not taken any action against this intimidation against him (Governor) as the Chief Minister himself was behind the conspiracy to attack him.

Arif Mohammed Khan came down heavily against the Kerala CPI-M state secretary, M.V. Govindan, who had on Saturday told the media persons that the Governor or his office had not filed any police complaint in the matter. The Governor while speaking to the media persons said, "If the President, his entourage or Governor, his entourage are attacked then the police have to take a suo moto case and the CPI-M leader does not know even this."

The Kerala Governor also said that he would release the video of the attack at Kannur University on Monday. He also said that he would release the letters written by the Kerala Chief Minister that the state government won't intervene in the affairs of the Universities in the state.

Arif Mohammed Khan said that he will, however, not reveal the information about the certain personal favours that were sought by the Chief Minister from him.

With the state BJP throwing its weight behind the Governor, the fight between Arif Mohammed Khan and Pinarayi Vijayan is taking a major political turn.