Governor Arif Mohammed Khan continued to up the ante in the controversy surrounding the selection process for the next Vice Chancellor of Kerala University by calling for the details of those who skipped the recent Senate meeting.
The move has triggered speculations of possible disciplinary action against those who allegedly scuttled the process of nominating a member to the search-cum-selection committee.
Such tactics appears to have further worsened the Governor’s acrimonious relationship with the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government that has reiterated its charge that Mr. Khan aspired to fulfil the agenda of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in the State.
The purported decision of the LDF, which enjoys a dominant majority in the Senate, to direct its members to abstain from the meeting prompted the Chancellor to seek information about the absentees from the Vice Chancellor on Thursday evening.
Raj Bhavan is widely expected to remove 11 of the 13 Senate members, who had been nominated by the Chancellor, on account of their failure to attend the meeting that was called off in the absence of the minimum quorum of 21 members. Those in the firing line include two Syndicate members who stand to lose their positions in the apex governing body.
Higher Education Minister R. Bindu, who appeared peeved by the developments, took a potshot at Mr. Khan, saying “all were bound by their Constitutional duties”.
She was alluding to the Governor’s alleged refusal to give assent to University Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2021, which was passed by the Assembly a year ago.
The proposed legislation, she said, laid down provisions for certain safeguards for teachers and students in autonomous colleges. “He (the Governor) could have returned the Bill by citing anomalies if there were any. He has instead abandoned it. It is the onus of all and not a particular section alone to fulfil their Constitutional duties.” she said on the sidelines of a function here on Friday.
Despite her criticisms, she claimed the government did not intend to enter into a confrontation with the Governor. She added the Senate of Kerala University will meet again on November 4 to take up the issue of nominating a member to the search committee for discussion.
