Kerala Guv Writes to Chief Minister Demanding Action Against Balagopal, Vijayan Affirms Faith in FM

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan has written to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan asking him to take ‘constitutionally appropriate’ action against Finance Minister KN Balagopal over his recent remarks, which he said were ‘seditious’. However, the demand was turned down by the CM and said the CM in his reply to the Governor’s missive. 

In his letter to the Chief Minister, Khan said Balagopal had ‘ceased to enjoy his pleasure’ after his speech which ‘undermined the unity’. The Governor’s words seem to be suggesting that the Chief Minister should sack the Finance Minister. 

“A minister who deliberately violates the oath and undermines the unity and integrity of India cannot continue to enjoy my pleasure. In these circumstances, I am left with no option but to convey that Balagopal has ceased to enjoy my pleasure,” the Governor wrote in his letter. 

While delivering a speech at Kerala University campus here on October 19, Balagopal said “those who come from places like Uttar Pradesh, may find it tough to understand universities in Kerala,” the Governor alleged quoting a newspaper report in the letter. 

The Finance minister, a former Rajya Sabha member, further said, “ security guards of the Vice Chancellor of Banaras University had shot down five students. Then I was an MP and had gone there. The Vice Chancellor had 50 to 100 security guards. This is the situation in many universities there.”

The Governor said the remarks made by Balagopal challenge the national unity and integrity. 

“But the most disturbing were the comments made by the Finance Minister which seek to stoke the fire of regionalism and provincialism and if allowed to go unchecked they may have erosive and baneful influence on our national unity and integrity,” he added.

#WATCH | Finance minister whose main source of revenue is alcohol & lottery, is raising the question whether the governor who is from UP can understand the Kerala education system... But I would advise him that don't make the same comment about the judges of SC: Kerala Governor pic.twitter.com/mmrIJbPoQf

— ANI (@ANI) October 22, 2022

Rejecting the demand for sacking Finance Minister Balagopal, CM Vijayan dispatched a letter to the Governor and said, ‘The Governor will appreciate that no further action needs to be taken in the matter.’

“After examining the matter in the light of constitutional practices, as well as the tradition of our country and the precedence, the words of K.N. Balagopal have nothing in it that warrants the cessation of pleasure of the Governor. There is nothing objectionable in his speech either. My trust in him as the finance minister of the state is unwavering,” CM wrote in his reply.

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