Keralam Leader of the Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday asked the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) government to clarify whether Keralam Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar had sought the concurrence of Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan or Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala to summon State Police Chief Ravada Chandrasekhar to Lok Bhavan to demand stringent action against students who had protested against Sanskrit University Vice-Chancellor Ciza Thomas on August 13.

Mr. Vijayan said that the Supreme Court had in the Nabam Rebia versus Deputy Speaker judgement in 2016 emphatically ruled that Article 163 and Article 174 of the Constitution severely circumscribed the Governor’s discretionary powers. He said the judgment underscored that the Governor should act strictly on the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers, not at whim or unilaterally.

He said Mr. Satheesan had not protested when Mr. Arlekar called a meeting of department heads and Vice-Chancellors at Lok Bhavan to review the preparations for International Yoga Day, despite the Left Democratic Front (LDF) Opposition objecting to the action.

‘Muted response’

Mr. Vijayan said the UDF government’s response to Mr. Arlekar’s trespasses on the independence and self-governing authority of State-funded universities has been at best placatory or muted. “The Governor views the UDF’s wordlessness in the face of such infringements on federalism as humble supplication or political complicity,” Mr. Vijayan said.

He said Mr. Arlekar had sought to directly control the State Police Chief, who is in charge of law and order, by bypassing the Chief Minister and the Home Minister. “His arbitrary action has dire legal and political ramifications. It is tantamount to the UDF pawning the State law enforcement’s control to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS),” Mr. Vijayan said.

‘Parallel administration’

Mr. Vijayan said Mr. Arlekar’s attempt to wield executive authority was tantamount to running a parallel administration, leaving the elected government tongue-tied and the ruling dispensation torpid. He said Mr. Arlekar’s action was a challenge to democracy and set a wrong, patently anti-federal and constitutionally perilous precedent.

Mr. Arlekar’s summoning of Mr. Chandrasekhar had caused a stir in political circles. Dr. Ciza Thomas’s accusation that Student Federation of India (SFI) protesters had manhandled and illegally detained her on the university campus at Kalady in Ernakulam had reportedly prompted Mr. Arlekar to demand the presence of Mr. Chandrasekhar at the Lok Bhavan.

Published - August 17, 2026 07:12 pm IST