Straining relations: Summon' tweet irks CPM

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan on Friday said the tweet by Governor P. Sathasivam after meeting with chief minister could have been avoided. At a press conference here Mr Kodiyeri said the timing of the tweet and the words used had come in for sharp criticism from various quarters. The tweet in which the Governor said “Summoned Chief minister @CMOKerala and State Police Chief to know about action taken by State govt on law and order issues in Trivandrum” has not gone down well with the party.

The CPM secretary said the tweet weakened the democratic polity and the federal system. However, he admitted that the word “summon” had several meanings and could be interpreted in different ways. “It could be to officially arrange a meeting or asking a person to be present at a particular place. The governor summons Assembly session. So it should not be seen as mandatory summons issued by a court,” he added.

He said the governor’s intervention to ensure peace between the CPM and BJP should not be seen as a war cry against the government. The governor and government enjoy cordial relations which had irked the BJP. Mr Kodiyeri said law and order was state subject and nobody would be allowed to interfere in such matters. On law and order issues, the governor's role was that  of only an advisor. He said had the chief minister not reached Raj Bhavan it would have created a major controversy.

Serious discussions took place between the governor and chief minister in a cordial atmosphere. Mr Kodiyeri said the Governor might have taken the initiative in the wake of severe criticism he faced recently from the BJP leaders. BJP leader Shobha Surendran had asked the Governor to quit if he could not rein in the state government in connection with political killings in Kannur. Later the central leadership of the BJP had reprimanded Shobha.