Thiruvananthapuram: Amidst the ongoing row between the Kerala Governor and the LDF government, in an unprecedented move on Monday, Arif Mohammed Khan shared video clippings of him being allegedly heckled at a Kannur University event in 2019, with the media. Khan, sharing videos of the incident on two widescreens set up at the Raj Bhavan auditorium, said KK Ragesh, a senior functionary who is now in the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) can be seen in the visuals preventing the police from discharging their functions.
‘In a state where people are arrested for wearing black shirts, these things happen. The police personnel tried to control the situation and stopped the people from reaching me. A senior functionary, who is in the Chief Minister’s Office, can be seen in the video preventing police from discharging their functions’, he said. He said IPC 124, clearly states that if anyone tries to ‘intimidate’ or ‘overcome’ the President of India or Governor from discharging their duties, then it is a cognisable offence punishable by imprisonment of up to 7 years and a fine.
He reiterated the conspiracy to attack him at the event. ‘The protesters arrived at the venue with over 100 placards. If the protest was not pre-planned how did they bring placards?’ asked the governor. ‘When I summoned the Kannur University seeking an explanation over the incident, he told me that he is not an expert providing security’, the governor said. He declared that he has no plans to file a complaint over the History Congress incident. He added that he had received a tip-off on the conspiracy to attack him at the event.
Challenging the government, he stated that it has no right to advise the governor or cut his powers. ‘We are living in a State where the convenor of the ruling front is banned from flying for unruly behaviour. They believe in the legitimacy of force to silence dissent, a difference of opinion and liquidate those whom they consider their class enemies’, said Khan. The Governor also released to the media letters written by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to him assuring that there would be no government interference in the affairs of state universities.
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