Kerala Governor and Government Clash Over Gold Smuggling Allegations

Kerala Police Chief and Chief Secretary refute Governor Arif Mohammed Khan's summons regarding gold smuggling accusations linked to CM Pinarayi Vijayan. The Governor's demand for explanations, amid accusations of anti-national activities and phone tapping, is deemed beyond his constitutional authority. CPI(M) dismissed accusations as 'false narratives.'

The tension in Kerala escalates as the state's Police Chief Shaik Darvesh Saheb and Chief Secretary Sarada Muraleedharan refuse to appear before Governor Arif Mohammed Khan to justify Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's comments on gold smuggling in Malappuram. The CM's office argues that such a summons, bypassing the elected government, exceeds the Governor's constitutional powers.

Governor Khan had demanded personal explanations from the Chief Secretary and DGP at Raj Bhavan about allegations of gold smuggling connected to anti-State activities. This summons followed unheeded requests for reports on the same subject, with the officials ordered to appear on Tuesday at 4 PM.

Allegations began with a misattributed media report citing CM Vijayan's remarks on the smuggling. Despite clarifications from his office and CPI(M)'s state secretary M V Govindan's accusations of false narratives perpetuated by media, the controversy persists. The Congress-led UDF criticized Vijayan's portrayal of Malappuram, emphasizing the district's Muslim majority.

(With inputs from agencies.)