Rajendra Arlekar | Saffron guard
Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar accused the 23rd governor of Kerala on January 2, 2025, and very few were surprised to watch. The appointment of Mr. Arifin Mohammed Khan, the appointment of Mr. Arifin Mohammed Khan, was seen as a continuation, although there was no increase, although there was no increase, although the appointment of Bay Arkar, Sadık and former Bihar and Himachal Pradesh, the determined Rashtria Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Sangh (RSS).
Mr. Arlekar, who has been a member of the RSS, who has been associated with the Bharatia Janata Party (BJP) since 1989 and then has been associated with the Bharatia Janata Party (BJP) since 1989, is an experienced political leader from Goa. He worked twice as a member of the Goa Legislative Assembly. Between 2012-2015, he assumed his speaker and was the Minister of Forestry and Environment and Panchayati Raj from 2015 to 2017. He also directed BJP in the southwest province for four years.
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In July 2021, Mr. Arlekar was appointed as the Governor of Himachal Pradesh, and then he played the role of the governor of Bihar in February 2023.
If Mr. Khan had rediscovered the Gubernorial Behavior Boundaries by locking the government and the horns over and over again, Mr. Khan did not waste time to sharpen the same edges, especially in the controversial field of higher learning.
Kerala’s universities have long been the battlefields for political impact. Indian Communist Party (Marxist) [CPI(M)]-LED LDF and the United Democratic Front (UDF) led by Congress (UDF) traditionally dominated academic organs. However, during the appointment of Mr. Khan, BJP has achieved significant ways by providing the unions of large institutions such as the Senate and Kerala and Calicut universities.
Mr. Arlekar insisted that Mr. Khan claimed his governor’s authority over the universities operated by the state and kept his “last word” on higher education issues. The allegation supported by the University Grands Commission (UGC) instructions and some court decisions clashed with the attitude of the LDF government that the government governments should have control over educational institutions financed by the public. The collision led to a close paralysis in the university administration. 13 out of 14 state universities remain without regular vice president and some positions have been empty since October 2022. The interim appointments made by the Governor were generally met with the lack of cooperation with CPI (M) -Dominated trade unions, and students and the faculty were caught on a political cross -fire.
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Judicial intervention
The judiciary often came into play to break such dilemmas. The Supreme Supreme Court recently adopted important steps by appointing the former Supreme Court Judge Sudhanshu Dhulia by chairing the search-cum election committees for the appointments of Apj Abdul Kalam Technology University and Digital University Kerala.
The tensions between Raj Bhavan and the Government of Kerala were not limited to education. Symbolism has become a glare point. A portrait of a ‘Bharat Mat’ and ‘Akhand Bharat’ map, depicted by holding a saffron flag in front of a lion, was promoted significantly during the official functions in Kerala Raj Bhavan and suffered a sharp punishment from both the LDF and the UDF.
Mr. Arlekar defended the image as the symbol of the nation. However, critics, depending on the RSS iconography closely, as an insult to constitutional conformity. Prime Minister Pinarayi Vijayan officially warned the governor by warning against the exhibition of political or religious images in state functions. He also stated the superiority of national symbols such as constitutional agreements and three -color and national anthem. Arlekar’s ideological anchoring works deeply. Hindutva is perceived as an important BJP ambassador in charge of expanding the ideological footprint in a long -accepted state, the vocal fan of Hindutva Ideologue and Savarkar. The previous Guernorial mission in Bihar offers a familiar pattern. There, he challenged the authority of the government led by Nitish Kumar in university appointments with the actions of sharp political reactions.
In Kerala, the methods mixed similar answers. Both the LDF and the UDF accuse him of making “saffron” campuses of “saffron” under the pretext of reform. In the meantime, the governor’s camp claims that political coalitions, especially the left, prevents long -term changes for completely political reasons.
In essence, the ongoing conflict between Raj Bhavan and the state government is not only related to educational appointments or iconography. This is the conflict of the two visions: one is based on the federal autonomy of elected governments, the other is the center of institutions, an ideologically directed refusal.
As the LDF government approached the end of its term of office, the governor’s approval to key invoices, including those who want to reform university management reform and allow private universities, has already forced the fragile relationship.
In Mr. Arlekar, Kerala may have taken a new governor a few months ago, but the old wars perhaps continue with sharper ideological bets.
Published – 07 September 2025 01:55
