The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) Opposition in Kerala has sought the permission of the Assembly Speaker to introduce a resolution in the House to urge the President of India to recall Governor Arif Mohammad Khan.
Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala said Mr. Khan had unfairly criticised the Assembly for passing a unanimous resolution urging the Centre to repeal the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, which he said was deeply prejudicial to Muslims and undermined the secular spirit of the Constitution.
Mr. Chennithala said the Governor had crossed the line by stating that the Assembly had no business passing an opinion on a Central law.
Mr. Khan had publicly declared the unanimous resolution of the House as "illegal and against the Constitution".
"The Assembly has every right to pass an opinion on any Central legislation. The House is emblematic of the collective will of the people. Mr. Khan should have communicated his dissent in writing to the Assembly. It was 'unbecoming' of the Governor to 'stand in front of a mike and belittle the House'," Mr. Chennithala said.
He taunted the government with the allegation that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan was "increasingly afraid" of the Governor and the Centre.
The UDF's move could present a legal minefield for the ruling LDF Government. Mr. Chennithala has pointedly moved for permission to introduce a substantive motion under rule 284 (5).
The motion, if allowed, empowered the House to discuss the conduct of persons in high authority. The proposal is widely viewed as part of a procedure for impeachment of persons who hold high office.
The move also adds a new dimension to the ongoing political tug-of-war between Mr. Khan and the government over the State's decision to appeal the CAA in the Supreme Court "without the Governor's knowledge".
However, Mr. Khan appeared unfazed. He told reporters that he welcomed the move. "Everybody is entitled to their opinion in a thriving democracy", he said. Assembly Speaker Sreemakrishnan said he viewed the Opposition's proposal with the utmost gravity.
