Governor relents, Saji Cheriyan to be sworn in as minister tomorrow

Thiruvananthapuram: Former Kerala Culture Minister Saji Cheriyan is set to return to the Pinarayi Vijayan Cabinet on Wednesday.

Though Governor Arif Mohammad Khan played hardball initially, he relented later and gave permission to swear Saji Cheriyan in. The ceremony is at 4 pm on Wednesday. 

The CPM State Secretariat had given the nod to induct him again as minister after the Kerala High Court recently dismissed two pleas that sought to disqualify him as a legislator over the speech allegedly insulting the Constitution of India.

The petitions had claimed that Cheriyan's actions attracted disqualification under Section 9 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951.

Cheriyan had to quit the Left Democratic Front ministry on July 6 as his alleged anti-Constitution remarks had caused quite a furore.

He had then claimed that the decision to step down was personal and not forced upon him.

"It is my personal decision that it is not right for me to continue as a minister. Hence, I'm resigning from my ministership," Cheriyan had said.

"I understand that the chief minister sought the legal advice of the Advocate General on my speech. I don't know what advice he received but I've taken a personal decision and have communicated the same to the chief minister," he added.

Cheriyan, however, refused to apologise but reiterated that his words were twisted.

In his public address at Mallappally, Cheriyan had claimed that the Constitution was prepared as directed by the British and that it wasn't meant to protect the commoners.

Cheriyan had said: "The words secularism and democracy have been thrown here and there. But the Constitution is clearly being used to exploit commoners."

Cheriyan represents Chengannur legislative assembly constituency.

'Permission granted with strong disapproval'
As per reports, the Governor granted the permission for the swearing-in with extreme disapproval. Apparently, he didn't want to create a crisis by going against the Constitution, which directs the Governor to swear-in the person recommended by the Chief Minister. 

Thiruvalla court case on
The case filed against Saji Cheriyan at the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court in Thiruvalla by Kochi-based lawyer Baiju Noel, contending that the former minister committed an offence under Section 2 of the Prevention Of Insults To National Honour Act ,1971 (ACT. 69 Of 1971), is still not over.