Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan on Thursday took on the Pinarayi Vijayan-led government for challenging the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) before the Supreme Court and said that "common courtesy demanded that prior permission" should have been taken from him. On Tuesday, the Kerala government had moved the top court against the citizenship law, becoming the first state to do so, amid continued nationwide protests against the legislation.
Arif Mohammad Khan, Governor, on Kerala govt challenging #CAA in SC: This is breach of protocol and breach of courtesy. I will look into it whether the state govt can go to the SC without the approval of the Governor. If not the approval, they could have just informed me. https://t.co/zFk5djrzxa pic.twitter.com/wMmRgDzYCX
— ANI (@ANI) January 16, 2020
Khan stated that the state government's move was a breach of protocol. "I'm not saying that what they did is wrong. They may have every right to approach the Supreme Court," he said.
"But the common courtesy demanded that prior permission (should have been) taken from me... at least I should have been kept in the loop," he said.
Khan has lately been critical of the manner the Kerala government has been taking positions on CAA.
"There is a legal maxim, neither I nor anyone is above the law. Clearly I am not against anyone approaching the judiciary. But, with me being the Constitutional head of the state, they (the state government) should have informed me about it, but I came to know through the newspapers. Some people here, think they are above law," said Khan.
Demanding the repeal of CAA, the Kerala government led by Vijayan moved the Supreme Court on Tuesday, saying the amended law violated Articles 14, 21 and 25 of the Constitution and the basic structure of secularism in India. With this, Kerala becomes the first state to approach the apex court against the CAA, which has seen unprecedented protests all over the country.
While presenting the resolution, Vijayan had said the CAA was against the "secular" outlook and fabric of the country thereby spearheading religion-based discrimination.
January 16, 2020 at 01:09PM
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