Pinarayi Vijayan has no right to spend state funds for CAA petition says Governor Khan

“I am responsible for the state as he has violated the Constitution… I also feel that he is responsible in a personal capacity

Thiruvananthapuram: Governor of Kerala Arif Mohammad Khan on Friday accused the chief minister of Kerala Pinarayi Vijayan of violating the Constitution by not approaching him before going to the Supreme Court against the Citizenship Amendment Bill.

Amid harsh war of words with the chief minister of the state, the governor said Pinaryai Vijayan had no right to spend state funds on the petition.

“I am responsible for the state as he has violated the Constitution… I also feel that he is responsible in a personal capacity. I just want to make sure that the Constitution and the law are followed and maintained,” Khan said.

While addressing media, the governor said Vijayan was “duty-bound” to approach him on such decisions.

“As far as I know, the rule of duties are clear. It’s already established how the Chief Minister is supposed to approach me… As far as I know, the CM is duty-bound to approach me before he passes any such orders. I have no problem with the government or opposition holding a different view on NPR or CAA,” he said.

The governor’s remarks came amid a heated war of words that have erupted as Pinarayi Vijayan on the Citizenship Amendment Bill and passed an ordinance by his cabinet to increase the number of members in local bodies.

Vijayan had said at an anti-CAA meet in Malappuram on Thursday, “We have opposed the CAA. We have demanded it to be repealed in the state Assembly. It’s best that those who are speaking now should spend time reading the Constitution. Everything is written in it. Ours is a nation where democracy prevails and not the yesteryear’s ‘resident’ who reigned supreme over local kingdoms. No resident is above the Assembly,”.