CPI-M leader Saji Cherian was on Wednesday sworn in as a Kerala minister by Governor Arif Mohammed Khan. While all the top Left leaders, including ministers, were present, the Congress-led UDF and the BJP boycotted the function.
Cherian resigned on July 6 last year as Minister for Fisheries, Culture, and Youth Affairs following a row over his alleged remarks insulting the Constitution while speaking at a party meeting in the Pathanamthitta district.
Around six months later, he returns to the cabinet.Last week, the CPI-M decided to make Cherian a minister again and informed the Governor, who said he would have to seek legal opinion.
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But on Tuesday after Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan called up Khan, the move was fast-tracked and Cherian sworn-in.
Earlier in the day, BJP’s Kerala in charge Prakash Javadekar, launching a party protest here against the return of Cherian, said that it is strange that a person who went out for flaying the Constitution has been bought back.
“This clearly shows that the CPI-M has scant respect for the Constitution and time will not be far when Cherian will have to again resign,” he claimed.
Leader of Opposition V.D. Satheesan, who had, earlier in the day, launched a protest by his Congress in front of the Raj Bhavan against the return of Cherian, said the situation remains the same as on the day he resigned.
“There is a case against him on abusing the Constitution at a lower court and in the High Court also and hence bringing him back into the cabinet without being cleared is disrespect to the Constitution. We just cannot accept this,” he said.
Meanwhile, soon after the official engagements at the swearing-in, Khan was seen telling Vijayan something very sternly. Cherian was also seen with a grim face when Khan was seen talking to Vijayan.
According to reports, when Vijayan called Khan on Tuesday, the Governor is understood to have said that he is agreeing to the request of Vijayan as he is constitutionally bound to do so and everything what happens after it will be Vijayan’s responsibility.
Khan is understood to have asked Vijayan for some papers with regards to the case of Cherian and it might have that he had asked Vijayan again.
After Cherian stepped down as minister following a huge public outcry over his remarks allegedly disrespecting the Constitution, the first relief for Cherian came after the local police, which probed the case, decided to close it as it did not any merit. Then, the high court dismissed a plea that sought disqualification of Cherian as an MLA and after this, the CPI-M decided to bring him back.
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