Kerala CM lashes out at Guv, says central govt has let loose a 'deranged man'
Pathanamthitta (PTI): Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday lashed out at Governor Arif Mohammed Khan for calling a group of protesting SFI members "criminals" and said the BJP-led central government has "let loose such a deranged man".
Addressing a gathering at Adoor near here as part of the ongoing 'Nava Kerala Sadas', Vijayan also attacked Khan for his remarks related to the Kannur region of the state.
"It is not a good idea to let loose such a deranged man. At least the central government should understand that it is not good to leave him in this condition. We know that things are happening with the connivance of the central government but everything has a limit," the chief minister said.
The Left leader alleged that Khan has been going around and calling those who oppose his ideology "rascals".
"Earlier he called renowned historian Irfan Habib a rascal. He is calling protesting students rascals and criminals," Vijayan said.
Referring to black flag protests, Vijayan said such demonstrations are being held against his government too, but never have they called protesters "rascals or scoundrels".
Hitting out at the governor over his Kannur remarks, the chief minister said it is a place that has a prominent space in the history of this country's freedom struggle and listed the names of some prominent persons from the region such as former chief ministers E K Nayanar and K Karunakaran.
He also took the names of V K Krishna Menon, K Kelappan, Vagbhatananda, poet Cherussery, O Chanthu Menon, Sukumar Azheekodu and Raghavan Master.
"That land witnessed the prominent agrarian uprisings. The world noticed Kannur through the Kayyur uprising. In 1928, (Jawharlal) Nehru participated in the Congress meeting at Kannur. (Mahatma) Gandhi ji came to Kannur in 1934. All this happened in the bloody Kannur as mentioned by Khan," Vijayan said.
On Saturday, addressing the media at the Calicut University, Khan had said that he does not believe in scaring people and was not scared of anyone.
"The CM is used to this because he comes from Kannur. Kannur has this bloody history where they have been killing each other," Khan had said.
The chief minister on Sunday also said Khan was deliberately provoking students and the people of Kerala.
Vijayan added that the central government was using the governor to target the state besides strangulating the state financially.
Khan, a day ago, reiterated that the members of the ruling CPI(M)'s students' wing were "criminals" to whom he was not accountable to explain any of his decisions.
He had alleged that the protesting students were "criminals hired by the chief minister".
Earlier this week, he had accused the Vijayan of "conspiring" to hurt him physically. Khan had made the accusation after his vehicle was allegedly attacked by SFI members while he was on his way to the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport to leave for Delhi.
The SFI has been staging widespread protests against the governor alleging that he has been pushing BJP-RSS nominees to the senate of various universities in Kerala using his authority as the chancellor of the universities in the state.
The SFI has been alleging that Khan's actions were part of the saffronisation agenda of the BJP.
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No demons in pitch, just RCB’s brilliance: Krunal on DC Collapse
New Delhi (PTI): RCB all-rounder Krunal Pandya says the dramatic Indian Premier League contest against Delhi Capitals was decided as much by skill as by staying "one step ahead" in the mental game.
Reflecting on the comprehensive nine-wicket win, which will be remembered for an incredible capitulation of Delhi, Krunal underlined that there no demons in the wicket but just that pacers Bhuvneswar Kumar and Josh Hazlewood were exceptional.
"To get six wickets in the powerplay, you have literally taken the game away from the opponent. The wicket wasn't that bad, but it was pure skill set and why they are among the best," Krunal said.
Krunal also shed light on his own evolution as a bowler, revealing that the introduction of variations like the bouncer and altered trajectory deliveries was a conscious attempt to outthink batters in a format increasingly dominated by power-hitting.
"Every year the opposition prepares for you, so it becomes a mental game as well. I was thinking what I can add to be one step ahead. That’s where the bouncer and change in trajectory came in," he explained.
The left-arm spinner acknowledged that executing such variations is physically demanding, particularly for a spinner.
"It's not easy for a spinner to bowl a bouncer. A lot depends on fitness. But I've never been scared to try new things. I took it as a challenge," he said.
Touching upon his cricketing roots, Krunal revealed that the seeds of his experimental approach were sown years ago while playing on matting wickets, where he was forced to innovate after being taken apart by batters.
"That's where I learnt things like bouncers and wide yorkers. Over time, roles change, but this year I felt the need to add something new, especially with how aggressively batters are playing," he said.
Despite the dominant performance, Krunal struck a cautious note on RCB's campaign, insisting that the team is not looking too far ahead in the tournament. As of now they are placed second in the table with 12 points from six wins in eight matches.
Along with Punjab Kings, RCB are favourites from here to claim top-two spot in the race to play-offs.
The 33-year-old lauded Virat Kohli for his sustained excellence, calling him a "flag bearer" of fitness culture in Indian cricket.
"To have that consistency for so many years is unbelievable. He has changed the way people see fitness in the sport," Krunal added.
