Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan conspiring to hurt me physically, alleges Guv Arif Mohammed Khan

Seven SFI workers were arrested while a case was registered against 17 of them in connection with the fresh protests against the Governor.

Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan on December 12 accused Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan of conspiring against him. This accusation came after activists of the Students' Federation of India (SFI) held a black flag protest and allegedly attacked the governor's car in Thiruvananthapuram on December 11 night.

The incident, which took place while the governor was en route to Thiruvananthapuram International Airport to depart for New Delhi, has sparked a political controversy in the state.

The opposition, including leaders from Congress and BJP, criticised the Vijayan-led government following the protest by SFI activists and the alleged attack Khan's vehicle while he was inside.

Seven members of the SFI, a student wing of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), were arrested, and a case was registered against 17 of them in connection with the recent protests against the governor.  The  arrested have been charged under IPC Sections 143, 149 (punishment for unlawful assembly), 147 (Punishment for rioting), 283 (Danger or obstruction in public way or line of navigation), 353 (Assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty).

The FIR mentioned that the SFI activists alleged the governor had appointed Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) nominees as members of the senate at Kerala University, according to a report in India Toady.

#WATCH | Thiruvananthapuram: On SFI's black flag protest against him, Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan says, "Today the 'gundas' are trying to rule the roads of Thiruvananthapuram. When they came, I stopped my car and I got down (from my car). Why did they flee?... Because I do… pic.twitter.com/sk3BybaPqc

— ANI (@ANI) December 11, 2023

Union Minister and BJP leader V Muraleedharan strongly criticised the Vijayan government, saying the CM and the Communist Party secretary had been issuing threats to the Governor for the past few weeks.

"The fact that he was attacked thrice during his travel from Raj Bhavan to the airport, a distance of around 5 km and these people were let loose by the ruling front and the police were made ineffective to suit the interests of the people who were there to attack the Governor,” he said, adding that incident depicted the level of law and order situation in the state.

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor also condemned the incident and termed it “shameful”. “Disgraceful behaviour by SFI goons in blocking @KeralaGovernor Shri ArifMohdKhan Sahib’s car yesterday and assaulting his vehicle. His fury is entirely understandable. The police under Communist rule have been agents of lawlessness, complicit in the ruling party’s worst excesses. They allowed an assault on the Governor while allowing the manhandling of peaceful student demonstrators against the CM. Shameful.,” he wrote on X.

While addressing the media, Khan stated that there is a "concerted effort at play to cause him physical harm."

He stated that the incident was not an accident, but rather a deliberate act targeting him individually. Is it possible that if a chief minister programme is going on, cars with protesters will be allowed there? Will they (police) allow anybody to come near the car of the chief minister? Here cars of the protesters were standing there and police pushed them into their cars and they ran away," Khan added.

The Governor alleged that the protesting students not only waved black flags at him but also struck his vehicle on both sides.. "Then I got down from my car. Then why did they run away? They were all sitting in a car, which means the police knew. But what will the poor police do when the Chief Minister is directing them?" he asked.

BJP state president, K Surendran, also condemned the attack. “The violent incident happened with the silent support of the police. The chief minister, Pinarayi Vijayan, is supporting the perpetrators and culprits in this issue. We strongly condemn the undemocratic acts of the SFI and DYFI,” he told news agency ANI.

Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar also raised concerns about the deteriorating law and order situation in the state. "This is not the NavaKeralam that we want NavaKerala according to Pinarayi Vijayan is welcoming Terrorist Hamas, intimidating the constitutional Governor, Rampant corruption, Destroying the Economy, chasing investors, destroying jobs, filing cases against media and political opponents, beating up those who question him," he wrote on X.