SC Timeline For Guvs Over Bills Overreach

Kerala governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, who assumed the post in January this year, sat down with Vishnu Varma at the Raj Bhavan in Thiruvananthapuram to talk about a host of issues, from the recent SC ruling on TN governor RN Ravi's delay in giving assent to bills to impact of the new Waqf Amendment bill, the reservations over UGC draft regulations and campus politics in Kerala.

- Vishnu Varma

Vishnu Varma [e-mail] THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:

You took charge as Governor of Kerala in January this year. How would you describe your stint so far?

It has been a good learning process for me. I am here to understand and learn how the people are, how the administration is, how the government is, how the political parties function.

I try to learn from all those people and I have understood how political parties and social organisations are reacting to the issues. I am trying to work on that.

Before being appointed to the gubernatorial post in Kerala, did you have any pre-conceived notions about the state and have they proven true in your stint so far?

I was (the Governor) in Bihar when I was told to go to Kerala. It was the last week of December, 2024. I received a call from PM Narendra Modi ji. He said, 'Aapko Kerala mein jaana hai'. I said, 'As your government wishes, I will go then'.

I had no hint about being appointed in Kerala. I was happy because I had never been to Kerala and I wanted to learn many things from the state. I have been to the state on a personal visit once.

I visited the birthplace of Adi Sankaracharya in Kalady. And once when I was the president of BJP Goa unit, there was a national executive meeting of the party here. I came that time for around 2-3 days. But I have never worked as a BJP karyakarta in Kerala. My work was restricted to Goa.

While you were appointed to Kerala, the outgoing governor from the state Arif Mohammed Khan was sent to Bihar where you worked. So did you get a chance to exchange information and share tips about the two states?