Opposition leader V.D. Satheesan has alleged that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is not seeking the resignation of Higher Education Minister R. Bindu despite adverse remarks from the Supreme Court because he himself played a role in reappointing Gopinath Ravindran as the Vice-Chancellor of Kannur University.
Mr. Satheesan was here on Saturday to open the United Democratic Front’s ‘Vicharana Sadas’, a protest event against the State government, at Beypore, represented by Public Works Minister P. A. Mohamed Riyas.
The Opposition leader alleged that it was Mr. Vijayan who had urged Governor Arif Mohammed Khan, also the Chancellor, to reappoint Gopinath Ravindran as the Vice-Chancellor. The Chief Minister also made Dr. Bindu write twice to the Governor and flouted all rules to ensure that Mr. Ravindran got a second term. “However, when the Supreme Court cancelled the appointment pointing out unauthorised interference from the Minister, Mr. Vijayan sought the Governor’s resignation,” Mr. Satheesan said.
The Congress leader said governance had come to a halt in the State Secretariat as the Chief Minister and his team of Ministers were away for 44 days to participate in the Navakerala Sadas. “This is happening at a time when the State is going through a severe financial crisis. Navakerala Sadas is a campaign ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. Normally, the LDF holds such campaigns, but now it is being done at the expense of people. The Chief Minister is using the event to tarnish the Opposition. If they want to criticise the Opposition, they should do it at their own expense,” he added.
