THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : UDF fuss over the House rejecting motion against governor, is motivated by political interests . Sidelining all issues associated with the Citizenship Amendment Act, the Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala has used it as opportunity to turn the tide against CPI(M) and the government. He dubs the rejection as government’s connivance with Centre and so forth.
He potrays government’s refusal to back the motion as a huge crime. The drama is designed to douse anti-CAA emotions running high, as much as it seeks to derail protest against the Central government, raging in the State.
Incidentally,Kerala served to be a role model for protests against CAA, during the course of which, the State government ran into public showdown with the Governor. State government stood firm in its demand that no change whatsoever, can be made to policy statement approved by the cabinet. The Governor buckled under pressure. Other instances include moving Supreme Court on CAA, the mega human-chain on Republic day and numerous protests that hit the streets - all of which were conducted by the State govt and CPI(M). To the Opposition, all these became a bit scary.
Ramesh Chennithala cites Constitutional mandate saying a governor has to act in accordance with the State government's instruction and advice. Not long ago, he was telling the Governor that, in the rungs of power, a Governor was positioned above the State govt. Chennithala's last trip to the Governor was missioned to block the ward reorganisation proposed by Kerala government. Eventually the Governor objected and the government was forced to move a Bill in the Assembly for the purpose. After all his regular visits to Raj Bhavan upto now, for plunging the current government into crisis, Chennithala now argues that Governor should toe in line with State government
When Governor questioned Assembly resolution against CAA, the State government put its foot down and dismissed the interference. Shortly thereafter, it went ahead to move Supreme Court over the new law. In the last faceoff, government remained firm in its stand that the policy statement shall be delivered verbatim in the House, All these instances have apparently resulted in the Governor going back on his earlier approach.
There is no instance in the past where Kerala Assembly has send its Governor packing. A distantly remote one pertains to a motion in Kerala Assembly seeking removal of West Bengal governor. It occurred during the tenure of EMS govt in 1969. At that time, the legislator who objected to discussing the motion was none other than Congress leader K Karunakaran.
