Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday announced his government is contemplating the possibility of approaching the union government to request the recall of governor Arif Mohammed Khan. The Governor has been in a contentious relationship with the left party, led by Vijayan, on several fronts.

Speaking during a media interaction as part of the ongoing ‘Nava Kerala Sadas’, Vijayan accused Khan of deliberately attempting to disturb the state’s peaceful atmosphere by provoking controversies.

“In order to maintain a cordial Centre-state relationship, the actions of the Governor should be rectified. The state government feels that he is trying to disrupt peace and harmony in the state. It seems like we will have to ask the Centre to remove him,” Vijayan said.

In a strong rebuke directed at governor Arif Mohammed Khan, chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan asserted that the governor has resorted to launching personal attacks and expressing impulsive remarks without due consideration. The chief minister accused Khan of abandoning a more measured approach and criticized him for making statements without careful thought.

“His behaviour violates a certain etiquette to be followed by a Governor. The Centre should examine this,” CM Vijayan said.

The chief minister also demanded an explanation from him regarding the source of the list of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) nominees for university senate positions. Vijayan asserted that Khan should provide clarification on how he came into possession of this list, suggesting a possible connection between the governor and the RSS, a right-wing Hindu nationalist organization.

“The Sangh Parivar wants to control universities across the country. But their agenda to control the higher education sector and to implement saffronisation will not work in Kerala,” Pinarayi Vijayan said.

Pinarayi Vijayan said that Khan deviated from the customary practice of nominating individuals to university senates from lists prepared by the universities themselves.

Meanwhile, Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan on Monday hardened his stance against the chief minister and the CPI(M)’s student outfit SFI. Khan said that they were “bullies” and that he was “not going to be frightened” by them. “You know his (Vijayan’s) history? How many murder cases is he involved in? What will a bully say… If I nominate CPI(M) people to the senate, then it is ok?” Khan asked.

“They are only bullies. They are not students. Do all students belong to SFI? No other student has protested, it is only SFI. Why? Because after the Supreme Court judgement, they realise they cannot control and run the universities,” he added.

The Students’ Federation of India (SFI) has initiated protests against the governor, alleging that he was using his authority as the chancellor of universities in Kerala to promote nominees affiliated with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and RSS in various university senates. The SFI, a student wing associated with the Communist Party of India (Marxist), contended that Khan’s appointments were part of the broader saffronisation agenda of the BJP, referring to the party’s efforts to influence institutions with Hindu nationalist ideologies.

(With inputs from agencies)