The Pinarayi Vijayan-led Kerala government's decision to move the Supreme Court against the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), leading to a serious confrontation with state governor Arif Mohammad Khan shows no signs abating.
Khan's office, on Sunday, sought a report from the government over the decision to move the top court against a law passed by the Parliament without keeping the governor informed.
On Sunday, Khan once again lashed out at the Vijayan government said he won't remain a "mute spectator".
"I will not sit as a mute spectator... will ensure that the rules and law are upheld," he added.
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"This is not a personal fight. What is important is the Constitution and law of land," he further said.
The Left Democratic Front (LDF) government had on January 13 moved the top court challenging the Act and had sought to declare it as ultra vires of the Constitution.
Attacking Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Khan had earlier said the public affairs and the business of the government cannot be run in accordance with the "whims of an individual or a political party" and everyone has to respect the rules.
Kerala was the first state to pass a resolution in the state assembly against the CAA and to knock on the doors of the top court, challenging the new law.
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The Governor, who has made his displeasure known public, had told reporters in Delhi that as per Rules of Business Section 34(2) subsection 5, the state government should inform the Governor on matters that affect the relations between the state and the Centre.
However, the state has maintained that it had not violated any rules and no deliberate attempts had been made to challenge the authority of the Governor's office.
Law Minister A K Balan had said on Saturday that the government would clear all apprehensions raised by Khan.
A day after CPI(M) mouthpiece Deshabhimani attacked the Governor in a hard-hitting editorial, party state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan on Sunday accused Khan of unnecessarily interfering in the day-to-day affairs of the government.
"The Governor is defaming a state government which was elected by the people of the state.
The post of Governor is not to defame the state government," he said in an article in the party newspaper.
Meanwhile, Khan, who was scheduled to attend a public function at Kozhikode on Sunday, cancelled it, citing security reasons.
The Governor was scheduled to attend a session at the Kerala Literary Festival (KLF).
"The organisers told us it would be difficult for them to follow the security protocol for the Governor as the KLF is a function which is being attended by thousands of people.
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They requested us to change the date, "Raj Bhavan sources said.
There were reports suggesting that the Governor cancelled the event, fearing protest from anti-CAA agitators, especially at a literary function.
