Thiruvanthapuram: The Centre accorded CRPF’s Z plus security cover to Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan after his unprecedented sit-in protest at the roadside at Nilamel, about 40 km from the state capital, for nearly two hours. The Governor accused Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan of orchestrating the protest.
It started when the Governor was on his way to Kottarakara to take part in a function. At Nilamel, about 50 activists of the CPI(M)’s youth wing, Students' Federation of India (SFI). had gathered on the state highway. As the Governor’s vehicle approached the site, the students raised slogans and waved black flags.
Taking everyone by surprise, Governor Khan directed the convoy to stop, came out of his vehicle and started walking briskly towards the protesters, saying in a challenging tone: “Aao aao (come come).”
Khan said that he had no problems with protests as long as the black flags were waved from afar.
“Why hit my car? I had said earlier in Thiruvananthapuram that if you hit my car, I will get down. They hit my car today,” he alleged. This provoked the protesters who shouted “Governor go back, governor go back” and tried to move closer. As the Governor moved towards the protesters, security personnel and Khan’s staff struggled to keep the two sides separated. Subsequently, the Governor sat on a chair on the roadside and told his staff: “Mohan! (his staff) Amit Shah sahab se baat karvao , yah koi bhi ho unke yahan (please connect me to Union minister Amit Shah or anyone in his office). Aur Nahin to Prime Minister ke yahan baat karvao (Or else connect me to the Prime Minister's Office.”
When a police officer tried to persuade him to return to his car, Khan shouted at him: “No, I will not go back. You are giving protection to them here. They were standing here under police protection. I will not go from here. If the police itself is breaking the law, who will uphold the law.”
“If the CM is passing by this road, will you allow them to collect here? You are allowing these ‘goondas’ (hooligans) to rule the roads of Kerala. I don’t want to argue with you on something which I have seen with my own eyes,” he was heard telling the state DGP over the phone.
The Governor sat on the chair for nearly two hours. He returned only after getting a copy of the FIR on Saturday's protest. He accused Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan of orchestrating the attack.
“All this is being done under the instructions of the CM. I am waiting for the report so that I can send it to the Centre. The government wants to divert people’s attention from its failures by carrying out such protests,” he told media persons.
“It is him who is giving direction to the police to give protection to these lawbreakers against whom, including the state president of the organisation (SFI) many criminal cases are pending in the courts,” Khan charged.
The Governor alleged that by sponsoring these protests, the state government wanted to provoke him to take some drastic action. “I am not going to oblige them,” he said.
A tweet posted by Kerala Raj Bhavan PRO said: “Union home ministry has informed Kerala Raj Bhavan that Z+ security cover of CRPF is being extended to honourable Governor and Kerala Raj Bhavan.” Meanwhile, SFI state secretary P.M. Arsho accused the Governor of provoking students.
“Our members were protesting peacefully on the roadside with black flags and banners. There was no reason for the Governor to come out of the car and challenge the protesters. He charged at the students trying to provoke them which is totally uncalled for,” he said.
He refuted the Governor’s charge that the SFI activists tried to hit his vehicle. The SFI leader said there was no attempt from their side to block his vehicle.
Cabinet ministers criticised the Governor's behaviour.
While Chief Minister Vijayan responded with a smile to questions on the Governor’s action, his Cabinet colleagues hit out at Khan for what they called irresponsible and protective behaviour.
Local bodies minister M.B. Rajesh suspected the Governor’s actions were part of an agenda. “The Governor’s protest is invariably followed with statements from the union minister. This clearly shows that the protests are not spontaneous. All this is being done deliberately ahead of the Lok Sabha polls,” he said.
Education minister V. Sivankutty said this was the fourth “show off” on the streets by the Governor. “If he is under the impression that he can threaten the democratically elected government through such protests, he has got it completely wrong,” he added.
Union minister V. Muraleedharan said Vijayan’s style of silencing opponents was on display against the Governor. “But if Pinarayi thinks that he will be able to rein in the governor using such tactics, then I am afraid he has not understood Arif Khan yet,” he said.
On Saturday evening, the SFI organised another protest near the Government Guest House where the Governor addressed a conference of state information commission Kerala.
The cops whisked away the activists. The SFI activists were carrying black flags and butter milk as part of their protest. “Governor Khan sat in the hot sun for nearly two hours. That's why we are carrying buttermilk to cool him down,” said an SFI leader.
