Few days after Communist Party Of India (Marxist) (CPI-M) leader John Brittas delivered a lecture on the premises of Kerala University campus, Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan said that this is the time when cognisance has to be taken by the Election Commission, stated a report by ANI.
On being asked by the reporters that in Kerala University, despite the vice-chancellor and registrar saying no, the employees' union conducted a lecture by CPI-M leader John Brittas, and now the Election Commission has asked for an explanation.
To this, Arif Mohammed Khan said, "This is the time when cognisance has to be taken by the election commission... There is a blanket ban on canvassing and campaigning inside the university campus. So, if the university authorities had ignored that blanket ban and permitted somebody to hold a meeting, maybe I would have sought an explanation."
The Kerala governor further said, "But here, as far as I know, the university authorities had informed clearly that at this moment in time, you cannot have a meeting inside the university campus. So, it is now for the Election Commission to take cognizance."
The governor alleged that some people use high-handed methods to pursue their agenda. "The problem is that some people think it is their right to violate the law, to violate the rules and to use high-handed methods to pursue their agenda. I hope, good sense prevails and they stop doing this."
Remarking on the protest, Khan said that everyone has a right to protest and nobody will have a problem with a peaceful protest. "They can keep protesting all the time, there is no problem, but hitting the car with rods; is that protest?... Nobody has any problem with the protest as long as you are doing it peacefully. But when in the name of protest, you come near the car, you start hitting the car, you stop the car, then that is not protest. That is an attack.
On being asked if the Central government should intervene in this, he said, "No, I have said several times that these things are done deliberately. They want some action to be taken and I shall not oblige them."
