The government's handling of Governor Arif Mohammed Khan's "disinclination" to approve the policy address for the next fiscal drew an unusually sharp response from the Communist Party of India (CPI).
CPI State secretary Kanam Rajendran said the government had succumbed to Mr. Khan's pressure without a fight. He echoed the sentiment expressed in an editorial published by J anayugam, the CPI's newspaper, on Friday.
Mr. Khan had overstepped his constitutional bounds by withholding his assent to the policy address ratified by the Cabinet.
Non-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ruled State governments should safeguard federalism from transgressions by the Centre by reining in politically biased Governors prone to overstepping their constitutional bounds. The administrations should not acquiesce in their unlawful decisions.
A CPI insider said the party did not approve of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's visit to the Raj Bhavan to "placate" Mr. Khan.
The government failed to convene the Left Democratic Front (LDF) to discuss the constitutional crisis. Mr. Khan had no constitutional recourse but to shed his "obstinacy" and approve the Cabinet-endorsed policy statement.
Mr. Vijayan had unnecessarily capitulated to Mr. Khan's posturing and empty threats by removing Principal Secretary, General Administration Department, K.R. Jyothilal, from his post.
The bureaucrat had merely conveyed the administration's position to the Governor that there was no precedent for appointing persons active in politics in the Raj Bhavan.
He had acted at the behest of the government after Mr. Khan recommended a BJP leader for the post of additional personal assistant.
Leader of the Opposition V. D. Satheesan's words seemed to resonate with the CPI's position. He said Mr. Vijayan had forsaken Mr. Jyothilal heartlessly to mollify Mr. Khan.
Mr. Khan had hijacked the government with a "toy gun" by issuing a hollow threat to withhold his imprimatur for the policy address. Mr. Vijayan caved-in to Mr. Khan's demand without realising that the Governor had no recourse but consent to the policy address. Articles 163 and 176 of the Constitution had set the rule in stone.
BJP State president K. Surendran took a different tack. He slammed the Opposition for boycotting and the ruling front members for not applauding the Governor. Both fronts had lowered the stature of the House. Mr. Surendran said the policy address was replete with oft-repeated and hollow promises and held no hope for the people.
