THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The rift between Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan and the CPM-led LDF government escalated further on Friday, with the former seeking a report on the suit filed by the state in Supreme Court challenging Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).
Khan told the reporters in the national capital that by not seeking his approval before filing the suit in apex court, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had violated rule 34 clause 2 of the rules of business of the government.
The following classes of cases shall be submitted by the Chief Minister to the Governor before the issue of order; cases which affect the relations of the state with the Centre, or any other state government, Supreme Court and the High Court.
The Governor said that some might say that this was only for passing the information. “Even if this is accepted, in the present case, I was not informed that the government is going to Supreme Court to challenge a Central law which is none of state’s concern. Citizenship is a Central subject,” he said.
“It is the duty of the Chief Minister whether he comes personally, sends his ministers or one of his officials writes to my principal secretary. That is his concern. But he is duty bound to submit this before issuing an order,” the Governor said.
“I have to ensure that constitutional machinery in the state does not collapse,” he said.
Reacting to the Chief Minister’s dig on Thursday that the era of residents of British Raj was over, Khan said, “Yes we are not living in colonial period. Here nobody is supreme. Supreme is the Constitution. But what he is saying should reflect in his action. I am appealing to Chief Minister to realise that we are not living in colonial India anymore. Now it is rule of law. I am not above law. I am constitutional head of the state. I am below the law, and so is everybody else,” he said.
