Cheriyan back in Kerala cabinet after his exit over row

Governor Arif Mohammad Khan administered the oath of office to Cheriyan during a ceremony, at the Raj Bhawan, boycotted by the opposition Congress and theBharatiya Janata Party. Initially the governor had expressed some reservations over his re-induction, however, later he relented

Senior Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Saji Cheriyan was on Wednesday sworn in as the minister in Pinarayi Vijayan-led Kerala government, almost six months after he had resigned from his post following his alleged remarks against the Constitution.

Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan and chief mMinister Pinarayi Vijayan present a bouquet to MLA Saji Cheriyan after the latter took oath as a state cabinet minister, at Raj Bhawan in Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday. (PTI)

In the controversial speech in Pathanamhitta, Cheriyan had allegedly said: “We all say we have a beautifully written Constitution. But we blindly copied the British system and wrote a Constitution. It never provides any safeguard against exploitation. It helps to plunder the common man and working class.”

Governor Arif Mohammad Khan administered the oath of office to Cheriyan during a ceremony, at the Raj Bhawan, boycotted by the opposition Congress and theBharatiya Janata Party. Initially the governor had expressed some reservations over his re-induction, however, later he relented.

Cheriyan is expected to get his earlier portfolios-- culture, fisheries and youth affairs, a senior government official said, requesting anonymity. Interestingly a case is still pending against Cheriyan in a court in Pathanamhitta under the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act 1971. Though the investigation team submitted a report exonerating him in the case registered after his controversial speech in July, the court is yet to accept it.

A week after his controversial speech during an event at Mallapally in Pathanamthitta, a court in Thiruvalla had ordered the police to register a case against him. Later, he was booked under Section 2 of the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971. Last month, police approached the court seeking its permission to close the case saying they failed to establish charges against him.

During his speech, he had also said “...the Constitution was fine- tuned adding democracy and secularism here and there to make it beautiful. But its exploitative part was quite evident”. After his resignation he said, “he did it only on moral grounds.”

“I am sure Cheriyan will have to resign again. His re-induction clearly showed that the CPI(M) has least respect for the Constitution. The party has insulted architects of Constitution by elevating him again,” said BJP leader Prakash Javadekar while addressing a protest rally in the state capital. In protest against his re-induction, the state unit of Congress also observed the day as “black day”.

Meanwhile, the government is also planning to invite the governor for his customary policy address in the first session of the House next week, people aware of the development said. Earlier, the government had decided to postpone his address.