New Delhi, Aug 21 : In a sharp attack on the Kannur University Vice Chancellor, Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan has charged that Vice-Chancellor Gopinath Raveendran is a criminal.In a press conference in Kerala House in New Delhi, Arif Mohammed Khan charged that at the Kerala History Congress held at Kannur two years ago the Vice-Chancellor was involved in a plot to physically attack him.
The rage of the Kerala Governor is the latest in a string of disagreements between the Governor and the Kannur Vice Chancellor of the University after the university ratified the selection of the personal secretary of Kerala Chief Minister K.K.Ragesh’s wife Priya Verghese to the position of Associate Professor in Malayalam language.
Governor had earlier stated that the appointment is not merit-based and Priya Verghese was lagging further behind other candidates for the post, but due to the political backing, she had got through as the top choice in the shortlist.
Arif Mohammed Khan, the Governor’s nominee has stopped the appointment of Priya against which the Kannur University Vice- Chancellor declared that he will move legally.
The Governor has however taken a legal advice and, in accordance with this the Kannur University Vice Chancellor will not be able move in court to challenge the Chancellor of the University (Governor of Kerala is the Chancellor of the universities in the state, against whom the state government plans to file the bill).
In contrast, CPI-M leader and Member of Legislative Assembly from Thalasserry and former Chairman of Kannur University, A.N.Shamseer when speaking to journalists said that the Governor’s speech is a sign of his insanity.He stated that there was no such instances of physical assault against the Governor in the Kerala State History Congress that was held just two years back.
He also stated that Governor Arif Mohammed Khan was acting as a politician and wanted be in front of the media on a daily basis.
Shamseer claimed that Arif Mohammed Khan was hoping for bigger roles in New Delhi and when this didn’t happen, he was disappointed and his anger was expressed at the Left Democratic Front government of Kerala.
He suggested that the Governor examine whether his actions are in harmony with what is expected from the high-profile office he held.
In the meantime, in a related development, Congress leader and Member of Parliament, K.Muraleedharan said that he was in the support of Governor K.Muraleedharan in his battle against the use of backdoor appointments in universities.He claimed that in the past, the Kerala Speaker, M.B.Rajesh’s wife, was appointed at Sanskrit University and now the Chief Minister’s Political Secretary K.K.Rajesh’s wife is set to be appointed via the back door, disregarding merit-based criteria.
aal/uk
