CPI(M) calls for resistance to Kerala Governor’s alleged attempts to ‘saffronise’ campuses

CPI(M) State secretary M.V. Govindan calls for ‘popular resistance’ against Khan’s alleged attempts to saffronise higher education and render the Assembly ineffectual by declining assent to Bills. He says the party will mobilise students, teachers, intellectuals, and the public for the purpose

On Friday, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] appeared to open a possibly more grassroots-based and combative battlefront against Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan. 

Politically, the new marshalling of Left forces against Mr. Khan, who is nearing the end of his term, could further fray the already fraught State-Centre relations.

After chairing a party secretariat meeting in Thiruvananthapuram on Friday, CPI(M) State secretary M.V. Govindan called for “popular resistance” against Mr. Khan’s alleged attempts to saffronise higher education, derail the functioning of State-funded varsities and render the Legislative Assembly ineffectual by declining gubernatorial assent to Bills passed by the democratically elected House. 

Mr. Govindan said the party would mobilise students, teachers, university employees, parents, writers, opinion leaders, intellectuals, and the general public to oppose Mr. Khan’s alleged trespasses on secularism and federalism.

Mr. Govindan said the Governor’s nominee for a top post at the APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University had crossed a red line by offering tribute to RSS idealogue M.S. Golwalkar before assuming office. He said the Supreme Court had slammed Mr. Khan for filibustering the enactment of laws passed by the Assembly by refusing assent without assigning any reason. The Kerala High Court had criticised Mr. Khan in eight different cases for infringing on the laws enacting the appointment of Vice-Chancellors in State-funded universities. 

On bypoll results

Mr. Govindan said the Left Democratic Front (LDF) ‘s emphatic bypoll win in the Chelakkara Assembly constituency and improved showing in the Palakkad Assembly constituency signalled that no anti-incumbency anger prevailed against the government as propounded by the Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in conjunction with the right-wing media. 

He said the polls were a bellwether of the State’s voting behaviour, and the LDF was on course to victory in the 2026 Assembly polls. He said the LDF improved its vote share despite heavy odds. The Centre’s financial embargo against Kerala had slowed the pace of the State’s development and social welfare programmes. 

A rainbow coalition of Hindu majoritarian and Muslim fundamentalist organisations rallied behind the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF). “The unholy alliance manifested as a victory margin of 18,000 votes for the UDF in Palakkad. The Jamaat-e-Islami and the Socialist Democratic Party of India (SDPI) claimed they had channelled 10,000 votes for the UDF candidate. Disgruntled BJP cadres and Sangh Parivar workers flocked to the UDF banner. The SDPI conducted a victory parade for the UDF candidate,” Mr. Govindan said. 

Mr. Govindan said Muslim fundamentalist and Hindu majoritarian forces shared a mutually symbiotic association. “One begot the other,” he said. 

Published - November 29, 2024 06:22 pm IST