Dr Ved Pratap Vaidik
The fanaticism of the Marxist-led Left Front Government in Kerala has crossed all limits. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, the supreme leader of the ruling Marxist Communist Party, has been at loggerheads with the State Governor Arif Mohammad Khan. Of late The Left government has drafted an ordinance to oust the Governor from the post of Chancellor from all the Universities of Kerala and they have decided to summon a special session of the State Assembly to pass a Bill, in case the Governor objects to signing the Ordinance
It is of common understanding that without the signature of the Governor, no ordinance or Bill can become legislation. So the ongoing exercise of the Vijayan government in Kerala to clip the wings of the Governor will prove futile, and a worthless gimmick.
As per the rule of law Vice-Chancellors need to be appointed according to the rules stipulated by the University Grants Commission (UGC). Surprisingly, In Kerala, the incumbent Vijayan government has been consistently infringing all such norms to facilitate the appointments of their near and dear. The Governor Khan does not yield to such unjustified decisions; he is being publicly abused and depicted as “Villain”, who is acting against the interest of the State at the behest of “his masters”.
However, Governor Khan has not yet succumbed to the pressure tactics of the Left-led government, the chief minister or the belligerent Marxist Party. He has asked all Vice-Chancellors who were appointed flouting the norms to resign. The Supreme Court of India and the High Court of Kerala has upheld the Governor’s decision to oust such VCs. According to Khan all it is obligatory for the Universities receiving grants and other financial assistance from the UGC to follow the norms set by the Commission in appointments of the VCs. The Governor has been proved right in his wisdom by the recent court verdicts.
It is a fact that the incumbent Left-led government in Kerala has been liberally appointing party cadres, near and dear in the universities and government offices flouting all norms and rules. The courts have recently struck down certain appointments of the wives of Marxist leaders to top positions in the Universities. Party workers with criminal antecedents are willfully posted in government positions. Many of such workers are posted as minister’s personal staff so that they become entitled to pension after completion of two years of service. The governor, when challenged this blatant misuse of public exchequer to further party interest, was rebuked in filthy language by the party leaders, even on TV debates.
This political corruption is rampant in the Marxist party of Kerala. The ruling party, it seems, has relinquished all political ethics and also commitment to the electorates have reduced to lip service.
It is unbelievable; the party functionary, who was instrumental in attacking the Governor at a function in Kannur in 2019, is being appointed at a key post in the chief minister’s office. Chief Minister Vijayan probably has no idea that if he continues with this radical attitude, he may be preparing to welcome President’s Rule in Kerala. If the ruling Left and the chief minister decide to continue unabated with the same arrogance, defiance and scant regard to the rule of law, the party will surely get decimated in the near future itself.
*Dr. Vaidik is a widely travelled scholar-journalist. He has visited more than 80 countries on diplomatic and educational missions. Dr. Vaidik has won more than a dozen National and International awards for academic and journalistic excellence. He has been a member of several Advisory Committees of Government of India.
