Kerala Police the best in the country but not allowed to do their job: Arif Mohammed Khan

Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 18 (IANS) Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan on Monday said state's police is best in the country but not allowed to do their job. 

In a veiled attack at Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Khan said: "The person who instigated violence in Kannur is after me now. This person who created problems in Kannur thinks he can threaten me, but I am not going to be threatened."

Khan has been stay put at the Calicut University campus since Saturday, where SFI, the student wing of the CPI(M) has been staging protests and had placed banners "demeaning" Khan, who is also the chancellor of Universities in the state.

"I am now going to the market in Kozhikode and I have told the police that I don't need the security. Without doubt, I will say from my experience as Minister of State for Home dealing with the Police force, the Kerala Police is the best in the country, but they are not allowed to do their job,” said Khan.

"I am now past 70 years and am living on borrowed time as I have crossed the average age limit of the country, so I have no fear and no threats can deter me from anything as I believe in the ideology of Swami Vivekananda

"Had Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan been staying in this campus, will the Police allow placing of these banners. So, the Police are helpless and hence these things are happening and banners are being placed under the directions of the Chief Minister," said Khan.

Khan said the CPI(M) is angry with him because of the recent Supreme Court judgement, and his job as chancellor is to ensure that these universities are allowed autonomy is their functioning and nixed Jannur VC's reappointment by the Kerala government.

The Supreme Court had recently ruled that the Governor as a chancellor of universities can independently appoint VCs and state cannot interfere.

"To quote an example, there is one sanctioned post of a carpenter in the Calicut University and today there are six CPI(M) party members who function as carpenters, when only one can appointed. The CPI(M) now knows they cannot intervene," said Khan.

--IANS

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