"No Conflict With Kerala Government Over Citizenship Law": Governor

Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan on Sunday said that there is no tension between him and the Pinarayi Vijayan-led state government over the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) now.

"There is no conflict (with the Kerala government). The CAA came on time when I reached there (as Governor). Of course, they could not digest that a constitutional office in Kerala would come in support of CAA. Though, my job is not to support, but to defend," Mr Khan said at a conclave organised by RSS-linked weekly "Panchjanya" in Delhi Sunday.

He further said that he has taken an oath to preserve the Constitution and it becomes his constitutional duty to defend something to which the President has given his assent.

"It is my oath to preserve the Constitution and protect the law. So if there is an attack on that, something to which the President has given his assent, on wrong grounds and by spreading misinformation, then it is my constitutional duty to defend it," Khan said.

He further said that he was performing only constitutional obligations in Kerala.

"In Kerala, I am performing a constitutional obligation, I am performing my duty and the CM- his own, there is no conflict in this," he added.

Khan further said that he had visited Vijayan during that time and told him that he was only discharging his constitutional duty and that if Kerala CM criticises him in public, he wouldn't feel bad.

"I have clearly told the Chief Minister that I do not believe in organized religion but believe in spiritual religion. I told him my accountability is to the Constitution and President. I told him you publicly criticise me and I will not feel bad. You do your duty and I will do mine. But since then there has been no tension," he said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)