"Maximum Governor"
Governors should not exceed constitutional duties to serve as agents of the Centre
The misuse of the Governor’s office to undermine (कमजोर कर देना; to make someone less confident or powerful) duly (विधिवत; in the correct way or at the correct time) elected State governments is a particularly mischievous (नटखट/शरारती; slightly annoying or bad behaviour) disruption of federalism (संघवाद; the system of giving power to a central authority).
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Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan’s frequent use of his powerful oratory (वाक पटुता; skillful and effective public speaking) to defend the Centre and question the State on sensitive topics makes him partisan and undermines democratic processes. His refusal to convene (संयोजित करना/बुलाना; to bring together a group of people for a meeting) a special session of the Kerala Assembly on December 23, as initially requested by the government, yet again proved this.
He questioned the urgency of the special session, and thought the Assembly lacked “the jurisdiction to offer a solution” to the farmers’ protest, an issue which the Assembly wanted to discuss. This is an encroachment (अतिक्रमण; the act of gradually taking away someone else's rights, or taking control of someone's time, work, etc.) upon the powers of the legislature (विधानमंडल; an organization consisting of people who have been elected to make laws for a state or a country) and the elected government and an abuse of his authority as a nominal head under the Constitution.
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His conduct was comparable to that of his counterpart (समकक्ष/प्रतिरूप; a person who has the same function as another person in a different place or organization) in Rajasthan who refused to convene a session of the Assembly in July last year as demanded by the Chief Minister. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan wrote to Mr. Khan stating the Governor had no discretionary (विवेकाधीन; decided by officials and not fixed by rules) powers in the matter and that his actions were unconstitutional.
This position was supported by the Opposition too. Thankfully, the government made an amended request for convening the session and the Governor accepted it. Mr. Khan had earlier questioned a resolution passed by the Kerala Assembly on the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, besides making public statements supporting the CAA and the farm laws.
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To assume that an Assembly is acting unconstitutionally if it disagrees with Parliament is disingenuous (कपटी; slightly dishonest; not speaking the complete truth). By lending himself and his office to such partisan conflicts, Mr. Khan is also besmirching (कीचड़ उछालना; to say bad things about someone to influence other people's opinion of them) his personal reputation as a fiercely (जमकर/बर्बरता से; in a frightening, violent, or powerful way) fair-minded public figure.
Such conduct by a Governor can weaken federalism. In the event, the controversy overshadowed (à¤ारी पड़ना/ फ़ीका कर देना; to cause someone or something to seem less important) the one-day session on December 31, which sought the repeal of the central laws that are at the heart of the ongoing farmer agitation (आंदोलन; the situation in which people protest or argue, especially in public, to achieve a particular type of change). A resolution passed with the support of the ruling LDF and the opposition UDF, and unopposed by the lone BJP member, raised procedural and substantive questions (वास्तविक/ठोस प्रश्न; important, real or serious questions) related to these laws.
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The resolution pointed out that agriculture was a State subject and “as a matter that seriously affects the States, the Bills should have been discussed in a meeting of the inter-State council”. The Bills were passed in haste (जल्दी करना; to make something happen sooner or more quickly) without even referring them to the Standing Committee of the Parliament, which the Assembly termed “a serious matter.”
It has become habitual for the Centre to overlook (अनदेखी करना; to fail to notice or consider something or someone) regional concerns, and the making of the farm laws without consulting States was in line with this trend.
The Council of States (Rajya Sabha) has been systematically undermined by arbitrarily (मनमाने ढंग से ; in a way that uses personal power unfairly and without considering people's rights and wishes) labelling bills as money bills. The use of central agencies to browbeat (धौंस जमाना; to try to force someone to do something by threatening them or persuading them unfairly) Opposition-ruled States is yet another strain (तनाव; something that makes you feel nervous and worried) on federalism.
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