Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi backs Kerala's Arif Khan amid LDF pushback

Attempts are going on at various places to weaken institutions like Lok Ayukta, Ravi said

Tamil Nadu governor R N Ravi backed his Kerala counterpart Arif Mohammed Khan that too on a day when Kerala witnessed a major demonstration of ruling parties of non-BJP ruling states like Tamil Nadu and Kerala against the governors.

Attending the Kerala Lok Ayukta Day celebration in Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday, a few hours after a Raj Bhavan march by the ruling CPM-led Left Democratic Front, Ravi said that governors would have to act against attempts to weaken institutions like the Lok Ayukta as governors were not rubber stamps. Attempts were going on at various places to weaken institutions like Lok Ayukta, he said.

Ravi's statement came in the backdrop of a recent amendment to the Kerala Lok Ayukta Act passed by the state assembly giving provision for the government to review Lok Ayukta orders against public servants. Kerala governor is yet to give assent to the amendment, which assumed much significance as a case against Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan was also pending orders before the Lok Ayukta.

Kerala Law Minister and CPM leader P Rajeeve also shared the stage with Ravi. Rajeeve said in his address that the amendments in the Lok Ayukta act were made in accordance with the model act of the centre.

DMK's Rajya Sabha MP Tiruchi Siva participated in the Raj Bhavan march in Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday. The DMK government in Tamil Nadu government recently urged President Droupadi Murmu that Ravi should be recalled immediately from governor's post.

Sources said that the fresh developments even indicate that the governors of non-BJP ruling states were also joining hands to resist the joint attack by the ruling parties.