Alleging biased reporting, Khan expels 2 TV journalists from Kochi press meet

Attacking MediaOne TV, Khan said, “You are settling scores with me on the Shah Bano case. You are carrying a campaign against me based on total falsehood.’’

“Kairali is not media, they are masquerading as media, but they are basically political persons. They were not invited, there might have been a mistake. They are carrying out campaign based on falsehood,” he said.

Khan started talking to the media only after ensuring that the representatives of the said media houses had vacated the venue. Khan said: “I hope there is no Kairali here, I hope there is no MediaOne here.’’ After MediaOne TV journalist affirmed his presence, Khan said “please get out” and repeated the same.

He then turned to the other side to ensure that the representative of Kairali TV had also left the venue. “They were lowering the dignity of the office, despite repeated reminders from the Raj Bhavan, they were doing it,’’ he said.

Khan later said he was not against criticism, “but there is some propriety. Any ordinary person can criticise me. There are certain proprieties. Can any minister criticise the chief minister? You cannot criticise those who have appointed you. If I want to criticise the PM, I have to quit the office”.

Meanwhile, addressing the media in Kochi, Khan said he was ready to face the challenge of CPI(M) march to the Raj Bhavan on November 15.

“I am being threatened by dire consequences. What do they mean by dire consequences? I am ready to face it. Let them come… I am ready for their dharna. I request that you [CPM] do not hold it on November 15, hold it on a day when I am in Raj Bhavan. Let us have a public debate,” Khan said.

Hitting out at Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Khan said: “The CM has gone to the extent of saying that he does not know who I am. But I know certain other things also, but definitely I don’t know everything about him. I know how in Kannur he tried to free a man who was arrested by police in a murder case and he tried to do it forcibly. When the young IPS officer took out the revolver, he (Vijayan) knows what happened to him. He had to go back home to change his clothes,’’ said Khan.

The Governor justified his decision to seek resignation of V-Cs of 11 universities in Kerala in the wake of a recent Supreme Court verdict which had declared illegal and void ab initio the appointment of the V-C of A P J Abdul Kalam Technological University.