Thiruvananthapuram | Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan on Saturday levelled serious allegations against the Left government in the state, accusing it of using activists of the banned outfit Popular Front of India (PFI) to stage protests against him.
He alleged that all the protests being staged against him in the southern state were a "joint venture of SFI and PFI".
Khan, who reached the state capital after a gap, said seven of the 12 people, who were arrested for protesting against him in Nilamel in Kollam recently, were PFI activists.
The Governor said he had received a report in this regard only on Friday night and it was his duty to share the information with the people of the state.
"I have got the report that out of 12 people, who had been arrested in Nilamel, seven are known PFI volunteers. So, this is not just SFI," he said.
There was no immediate reaction from the state government or the CPI(M) regarding the Governor's allegations.
Pointing fingers at the Pinarayi Vijayan government, Khan said, "What the government is doing...they are telling the members of a banned organisation that you join these protests...you do something nasty and then we will protect you." The Governor further charged the state government with not only sheltering but using the members of a banned organisation to create law and order problems in Kerala.
He also said the state authorities were doing these things to provoke him to take some "drastic action", but he was not going to oblige them.
Asked about the dramatic incidents at a senate meeting held at the Kerala University here which was presided by Higher Education Minister R Bindhu in her capacity as Pro-chancellor , Khan said she had no authority to do so without his permission.
"I have authorised the Vice Chancellor to preside over the meeting. She (minister) has no authority to enter the Senate Hall," he said.
Criticising the Higher Education Minister, he said that she seems to be "totally ignorant" and has no respect towards the court and the law of the land.
Meanwhile, activists of the SFI tried to show black flags to Khan near AKG Centre, the CPI (M) headquarters here, today as well.
The SFI has been staging protests against the Governor for some time now, accusing him of attempting to "saffronise" the universities in the state.
