"Government brought ordinance using constitutional powers," says Kerala minister MB Rajesh

Kochi (Kerala) [India], November 13 : Kerala Minister MB Rajesh on Saturday said that the government brought the ordinance to remove Governor from the post of Chancellor using constitutional powers. It does not affect inter-state relations and is not against the Central Act, said the minister.
"The position of the government in this regard has been clarified by the Minister of Law and Minister of Higher Education. The Government has brought the ordinance using constitutional powers. There is no ambiguity in the Constitution regarding the power to issue ordinances. It does not affect inter-state relations and is not against the Central Act," the minister said while talking to the reporters.
Rajesh further said that the government had worked to bring the ordinance in a completely legal, constitutional, and statutory manner.
"The government can expect everyone to act constitutionally," he added.
Notably, the Kerala government on Thursday decided to remove the Governor as chancellor of Kerala Kalamandalam deemed-to-be university amid its tussle with the state Governor Arif Mohammad Khan.
The Kerala government has amended the rules and regulations of Kerala Kalamandalam deemed to be university "in accordance with the clause of 10.12.9 of UGC regulations 2019" to remove Governor as Chancellor, officials said.
As per the amended rule, the position of Chancellor will now be filled by "an eminent person in the field of Art and Culture appointed by the sponsoring body."
Apart from the pending bills, the LDF government and the state Governor have been at loggerheads over some other issues including the appointment and resignation of vice-chancellors.
CPI-M leader and former Kerala Minister Thomas Isaac had on Wednesday accused the state Governor of "conniving to appoint BJP sympathizers as VCs of Universities".
"This is not acceptable to the people in the State. Therefore, there is no choice before GOK other than remove Governor from the post of Chancellor and appoint eminent academics in his place," he had said in a tweet.
The Governor had earlier taken a dig at CPIM and said it is a party "that believes in the legitimacy of violence".
Union minister and BJP leader V Muraleedharan alleged on Wednesday that the Pinarayi Vijayan's government in the state was not only running down the state's institutions but also abusing its powers to turn them into the government's propaganda vehicles.
"Hypocrite @pinarayivijayan not only undermining institutions but abusing power to make Kerala's institutions safe heavens for @CPIMKerala," he said in a tweet.
The decision came after Khan sought the resignations of vice-chancellors of all nine universities in the state.
As per an order issued by the Kerala Governor- Vice-Chancellors of the University of Kerala, Mahatma Gandhi University, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies, Kannur University, APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University, Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit, University of Calicut and Thunachath Ezhuthachan Malayalam University have been asked to resign from their posts.
Later the VCs of nine universities moved the High Court challenging the Governor's order to tender their resignations.
The Governor had also appointed Ciza Thomas as Vice Chancellor in-charge of the APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University (KTU) in Thiruvananthapuram.
Meanwhile, CM Pinarayi Vijayan government had requested the High Court to stay the appointment that was ordered by Kerala Governor Arif Muhammad Khan, chancellor of the state universities. However, the court on Tuesday declined to stay the appointment.