Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan
Credit: PTI Photo
Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan on Friday sent a letter to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan accusing him of hiding matters pertaining to use of money from gold smuggling for anti-national acts.
Governor also criticised the chief minister for not responding to his letter for 27 days. He also accused Pinarayi Vijayan of preventing the chief secretary and state police chief from providing details to him.
This developments are sequel to the rift between the governor and the CPM government since the chief minister made a remark that proceeds from gold smuggling through Kozhikode international airport situated in Malappuram district were being used for anti-national acts.
Governor had earlier sent a letter to the chief minister seeking details regarding latter's accusation. In a reply sent to the Governor on Wednesday, the chief minister denied it.
The governor wrote a fresh letter that the chief minister was failing in his constitutional duty of briefing the Governor about the anti-national activities taking place in the state.
Owing to the undue delay on the part of the chief minister in responding to his letter he asked the chief secretary and state police chief to furnish the details.
'I am sure you would appreciate that the Article 167 of the Constitution of India prescribes it as "duty of the chief minister as respects the furnishing of information to the Governor".
It leaves no scope for the chief minister to sit on a communication from Governor for 27 days and fail to even to acknowledge it till the Governor asks the Chief Secretary to come for briefing,' the governor said in the letter.