Shashi Tharoor Post On Kerala Governor vs Chief Minister Re-Ups INDIA Rift

In what could be seen as another sign of differences in the opposition INDIA bloc, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor has slammed the CPM over its student wing allegedly attacking the vehicle of Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan. 

In a post on X, formerly Twitter, on Tuesday, the Thiruvananthapuram MP dubbed the police under Communist rule "agents of lawlessness" and claimed that they have been complicit in the ruling party's "worst excesses". 

Tagging an NDTV article on the alleged attack, Mr Tharoor said, "Disgraceful behaviour by SFI goons in blocking @KeralaGovernor Shri ArifMohdKhan Sahib's car yesterday and assaulting his vehicle. His fury is entirely understandable."

Disgraceful behaviour by SFI goons in blocking @KeralaGovernor Shri ArifMohdKhan Sahib's car yesterday and assaulting his vehicle. His fury is entirely understandable. The police under Communist rule have been agents of lawlessness, complicit in the ruling party's worst excesses.… https://t.co/1WxqmibICQ

— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) December 12, 2023

"The police under Communist rule have been agents of lawlessness, complicit in the ruling party's worst excesses. They allowed an assault on the Governor while allowing the manhandling of peaceful student demonstrators against the CM. Shameful," he added.

On Monday, activists from the Students' Federation of India (SFI), which is the student wing of the CPM, had allegedly attacked the vehicle of the governor when he was headed to the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport to leave for New Delhi. An enraged Mr Khan hit out at the Kerala government over the incident and said Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had sent goons to hurt him. 

"Is it possible that if a chief minister's programme is going on, cars with protesters will be allowed there? Will they (the police) allow anybody to come near the car of the chief minister? Here cars of the protesters were standing there and police pushed them into their cars and they ran away," the governor said.

"So, it is the chief minister, I am saying it clearly, who is conspiring and sending these people to hurt me physically. The 'goondas' have taken charge of the roads of Thiruvananthapuram," he added.

Mr Khan also alleged that protesting students not only waved black flags at him but also struck his vehicle on both sides. 

Tensions have been building up between the Kerala government and the governor over the past few years and the government has also approached the Supreme Court, accusing Mr Khan of sitting on bills.

INDIA Implications

While the Congress and the CPM are allies at the Centre as part of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc, they are opponents in Kerala, where the Congress is the principal opposition party. After the Congress' defeats in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, Mr Vijayan had criticised the party and said that it had lost because of "greed and a lust for power".

Congress leader V D Satheesan had lashed out at the chief minister and said that Mr Vijayan appeared happier over the party's loss than BJP Kerala chief K Surendran. 

Despite its victory in Telangana, Congress' defeat in the three Hindi heartland states has made it the target of jibes from several INDIA allies as well, including the Trinamool Congress and the Samajwadi Party.

Seat-sharing is expected to be on the agenda for the next meeting of the alliance, which will be held on December 19.