Arif Mohammed Khan, Governor of Kerala, has declared an open war with the CPI(M)-led Kerala Government by questioning the propriety of allowing pension and other benefits to the personal staff members of the Ministers in the State. Each Minister in Kerala has at least twenty members in their personal staff recruited from the party cadre and they are given salary and allowances akin to the Government staff. “This has been going on for years and I came to know about this only recently. This is against all norms of democracy,” said Governor Arif Mohammed Khan in freewheeling interviews to regional television news channels. It may be noted that this is the first time in the history of Kerala a Governor gives a no-holds-barred interview to the media.
“I do not understand the logic behind the provision of pension to personal staff of Ministers. Why should the State exchequer be tormented for paying pension and perks to these party leaders once the tenure of the Ministers are over. There is no justification in appointing party leaders in the personal staff of ministers. This is unheard of anywhere in the country,” said the Governor.
Kerala Raj Bhavan had to face some resistance recently over the appointment of Hari S Kartha, veteran journalist and editor as his personal assistant. “He was my choice and I am entitled to appoint a person of my choice to that post. It is none of their business to question his appointment. He is not eligible for pension or any other perks,” pointed out the Governor. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had expressed his opposition in appointing Kartha as the Governor’s personal assistant because the latter had served as chief editor of Janmabhumi, the mouthpiece of BJP.
The Governor also lambasted the insistence of some sections in the Muslim community that women should wear hijab and burqa. Karnataka has seen unpleasant incidents over the last fortnight following girls coming to schools and colleges wearing hijab and burqa. “The girls , irrespective of the community to which they belong, should wear the school and college uniform. It is a symbol of discipline. The people who insist that girls should wear hijab and burqa are misguided elements and we should not pay any attention to them,” said the Governor who also said that those who subverted the Supreme Court order in the Shabano case were behind the ongoing hijab controversy.
Arif Mohammed Khan was eloquent about the introduction of uniform civil code. When asked about the opposition by various leaders of the Congress, the CPI(M) and the CPI to the introduction of uniform civil code, the Governor said; “Starting from the President, Vice President, Prime Minister, Union Ministers, MPs, MLAs , Governor and ministers in the State take the oath of office declaring that they would preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution and the law and they would devote themselves to the service and well-being of the people of India. The Constituent Assembly that drafted the Constitution wanted the introduction of Uniform Civil Code. There are various orders by the Supreme Court asking the Government to introduce the Uniform Civil Code. Then what is the reason behind the opposition to the uniform laws?”.