Venugopal criticises Arlekar’s statement on SC order

AICC general secretary K.C. Venugopal, along with Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan and others, at the inauguration of the new office of the district congress committee in Kozhikode on Saturday.
| Photo Credit: PTI

: All-India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary K.C. Venugopal on Saturday (April 12, 2025) criticised Kerala Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar for his statement objecting to the recent Supreme Court order that sets a time frame for Governors to act on Bills cleared by State Assemblies. 

Opening the new office of the Kozhikode district congress committee, named after former Chief Minister K. Karunakaran, he said Mr. Arlekar’s remarks were an insult to democracy. Mr. Venugopal alleged that some Governors had been trying to “control elected State governments through the backdoor” for the Centre. It was the Narendra Modi-led government that created a political situation which led the apex court to pronounce such an order. “Why is the Kerala Governor trying to justify such actions? Maybe he is concerned whether he will be able to implement his agenda in view of the Supreme Court verdict,” the Congress leader claimed.

A host of senior party leaders such as AICC general secretary Deepa Dasmunshi, Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president K. Sudhakaran, Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan, Congress working committee members Shashi Tharoor and Ramesh Chennithala, United Democratic Front convener M.M. Hassan, and former KPCC presidents V.M. Sudheeran, Mullappally Ramachandran, and Indian Union Muslim League national general secretary P.K. Kunhalikutty, among others, were present.

However, one leader who was conspicuous by his absence at the event was K. Muraleedharan. Media reports said that he was in the State capital.