‘No other intention or controversy behind the steps taken and no time for petty fights’
‘No other intention or controversy behind the steps taken and no time for petty fights’
Governor Arif Mohammed Khan on Sunday defended his action against Vice Chancellors (VCs) of 11 universities in the State, saying that he was only performing his constitutional duty to defend the law that was laid down by the Supreme Court.
Mr. Khan said there was no “other intention” or “controversy” behind the steps taken by him, as he was only implementing the law laid down by the apex court. He also added that he had “no time to spend on petty fights”.
The top court on October 21 quashed the appointment of the VC of APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University saying that as per the University Grants Commission (UGC), the search committee constituted by the State should have recommended a panel of not less than three eminent people in the field of engineering science to the Chancellor. Instead, it sent only one name. Besides this, the apex court also ruled that according to the UGC norms on VC appointments, the search or selection committee should not have a non-academic member.
“The Supreme Court was not hearing a matter on qualifications of a VC. It has not commented on that. It has said that the process that has been followed for appointing VCs was repugnant to the regulations of the UGC.
“The judgement does not deal with just one VC. The SC has laid down the law. I consider it my duty to defend and implement it if it is in my jurisdiction. Therefore, for me there is no controversy. I had no other intention. I am trying to do my duty as I am obliged to do. I do not have time to spend on petty fights,” he said.
Mr. Khan was speaking at an event organised by the World Malayali Federation in New Delhi. He further said that in the areas where he did not have the power to intervene when he saw what he felt was against the interests of the people of Kerala, he would bring the same to the attention of the public who could then decide what to do.
Citing an example, he said Ministers in Kerala had the power to appoint 25 people in their personal staff who became entitled to lifelong pension on completing two years of service. After every two years, a new set of 25 people would be appointed and, in this manner, during a four-year tenure of a Minister, 50 party workers would become entitled to lifelong pension that is paid from money that should be used for the people. “I do not have the legal power to stop it. Only thing I can do is let the people of Kerala know how the money is being spent and let them decide. This is the least I can do,” he said.
At the same time, he also said he did not believe that every opinion of his was perfect and final. “I am open to correction,” he said.
In his speech at the event, he also claimed that no one was willing to start an educational institution in Kerala and that it was the only State where people “were searching for jobs all over the country and the world”. He further claimed Keralites outside the State were successfully running businesses and industries but, were not setting up the same in Kerala.
Mr. Khan also praised Kerala for its “unadulterated spiritual mindset”, saying that “people do not suspect or have misgivings about anybody based on their birth, skin colour, or language they speak”. “They have this attitude of seeing the divine in everybody. Keralites have a sense of human dignity,” he said and added “you need to safeguard what you have achieved”.
