Governor acting like tool of RSS, misusing office: Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan

PALAKKAD: Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday said that governor Arif Mohammad Khan was acting as a tool of the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) and is misusing his powers while attempting to disrupt the functioning of universities in the state.
“Governor is misusing the chancellor post to exercise more powers than he holds. It is undemocratic and encroachment on the powers of the vice chancellors. The governor’s post is not to move against the government but to uphold the Constitution’s dignity. He’s acting as a tool of RSS,” Vijayan said.
Vijayan’s remarks come ahead of the deadline given by governor Khan late on Sunday for vice-chancellors of all nine universities in the state to submit their resignations.
The chief minister further said that governor or chancellor don’t have the right to remove vice-chancellors and there is no such option in the University Act.
“Supreme Court verdict against Technology University’s vice-chancellor is not applicable to all vice-chancellors. On the basis of that verdict, the governor cannot demand other vice-chancellors on the basis of that act. Governor or Chancellor don’t have the right to remove vicechancellors. There is no such option in the University act,” he said.
As per an order issued by the Kerala governorvicechancellors of the University of Kerala, Mahatma Gandhi University, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies, Kannur University, APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University, Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit, University of Calicut and Thunachath Ezhuthachan Malayalam University have been asked to resign from their posts.
The governor issued the order upholding the Supreme Court order which quashed the appointment of the vice-chancellor of APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University.
According to the PRO, Kerala Raj Bhavan, letters have been sent directing the Vice Chancellors of 9 Universities to tender their resignation by 11:30 am on October 24. The letters have been emailed to the VCs and registrars of the varsities concerned, the PRO, Kerala Raj Bhavan said.