Kerala Governor to Report on CM’s Gold Smuggling Remarks

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan is set to present a report to President Droupadi Murmu concerning Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's comments on gold smuggling and hawala transactions being linked to anti-national and anti-state activities in the Malappuram district.

The action follows the Kerala Government's refusal to adhere to Governor Arif Mohammad Khan's order for Chief Secretary Sarada Muraleedharan and State Police Chief Shaikh Darvesh Sahib to present themselves at the Raj Bhavan on Tuesday. The Governor had summoned the senior officials regarding the Chief Minister's comments published in a national daily and his statements concerning Malappuram.

The Chief Minister has conveyed to the Governor that the summoning of senior bureaucrats requires the government's approval. The stance of the government is that the Governor lacks the authority to directly summon the Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police; instead, Raj Bhavan should formally request their attendance through the proper channels.

The Governor had previously requested information from the chief minister regarding the issue. However, when Khan received no response from the government, he opted to summon the officials.

The Governor was unequivocal in his criticism of the government's position, stating, "The proceeds from gold smuggling are being utilized for anti-national and anti-state activities. I am perturbed by the chief minister's failure to inform me about this. An anti-national act is a matter of extreme seriousness. Why has this information not been shared with me? For how long has he been cognizant of these anti-national activities, and what actions has the government taken against those involved in such acts?

Khan reported that the Chief Minister declared funds from gold smuggling are being used for anti-national activities, presenting data from the past three years at a press conference. This suggests that these activities have persisted for at least three years, underscoring the seriousness of the issue.