‘Hope he understands how Keralites felt about CAA’: Oommen Chandy criticises Governor

Even as the spat between the Kerala Governor and the LDF-ruled state government is going on, former Chief Minister and All-India Congress Committee general secretary Oommen Chandy criticised the Governor for his actions related to the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). 

Oommen Chandy called Governor Arif Mohammed Khan's action inappropriate as 'it crossed lines of decorum and restraint that a person holding the gubernatorial post is supposed to uphold in Indian democratic system', reports The Hindu. The former CM said that the Governor should understand the limitations of his post and it would be difficult to accept it if he tried to control a democratically elected government. 

Chandy supported the state government's decision to move the Supreme Court against the CAA, which came as an extension of the unanimous resolution passed by the Assembly against the controversial act. The veteran Congress leader also said that he hoped the Governor would understand how the people of Kerala felt towards the issue.

Chandy's words come at a time when the Governor continues to remain non-cooperative even after the government had sent Chief Secretary Tom Jose to the Raj Bhavan to explain the suit at SC.

Meanwhile, former Kerala Governor P Sathasivam told The Hindu that the government may, ‘as a courtesy’, inform the Governor before challenging an important legislation in court. However, this was not a constitutional requirement. Former Attorney-General K Parasaran also said that there is no such constitutional convention to consult the Governor in a case where the State is filing a suit against the Centre, and the Governor represents the Union government.

In a surprise move, even O Rajagopal, veteran leader and the lone BJP legislator from Kerala, criticised the Governor’s actions of speaking in public about the spat with the government. "It is not proper for the Governor and the government to make public statements. Differences of opinion should be resolved in private," he told reporters.