Governor Arif Mohammad Khan on Sunday said threats to impede his free movement would not deter him from executing his Constitutional duties.
Unusual for a Governor, the ruling front and the Opposition had been unanimous in their criticism of Mr. Khan’s attempts to justify the enactment of the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Act [CAA].
Ire of fronts
Mr. Khan had earned the ire of the opposing fronts by asking whether the Kerala Assembly was legally empowered to pass a resolution demanding the repeal of the Central law. He had also repeatedly toed the Centre’s line that the Act was not poised against citizens of the Islamic faith or other minorities.
The Governor had also insisted that Kerala was Constitutionally bound to implement laws passed by the Parliament and the CAA was no exception.
Mr. Khan’s position had triggered a sharp debate whether a State Assembly could deliberate or take a stance on a subject such as citizenship that was exclusively the Constitutional preserve of the Union government.
Soon, Mr. Khan became a magnet for anti-CAA protests. Delegates at the History Congress in Kannur attempted to heckle him when he spoke in defence of the CAA. He also faced a black flag protest by Congress workers in Thrissur on Saturday.
Demonstrations
The Raj Bhavan has witnessed anti-CAA demonstrations against the BJP-led Centre repeatedly.
The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) appeared mainly provoked by Mr. Khan’s purported statement that Congress leaders, including Jawaharlal Nehru and Mahatma Gandhi, had batted for a citizenship law on the lines of the CAA.
A galaxy of Congress leaders attacked Mr. Khan for “distorting history and lowering the status of the gubernatorial office”.
K. Muraleedharan, MP, warned that Congress workers would not allow Mr. Khan to travel freely in Kerala. CPI(M) State secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan had accused Mr. Khan of playing the part of the BJP State president.
