The tussle between Kerala governor Arif Mohammed Khan and the ruling Left Democratic Front just got worse with CPM colts resolving not to let him set foot in any state university if he continues to nominate Sangh parivar members to university bodies.

This comes a day after SFI activists attacked his car that was taking him to the Thiruvananthapuram airport late on Monday. They were protesting the governor nominating ABVP members in university senates.

Kerala High Court on Tuesday stayed the appointment of four ABVP members in the Kerala University senate, in an apparent setback to the governor.

But obstructing the governor’s motorcade has intensified the widespread criticism against the SFI cadres taking the law into their hands. Visuals played by various channels showed SFI activists charging onto the motorcade waving black flags and shouting “go back”. A few of them appeared to slap the car of the governor who has a Z-Plus category security cover.

An infuriated Khan ordered his car to be stopped and stepped out daring the activists to attack him instead, in an apparent breach of his security protocol.

He then accused chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan of unleashing the SFI activists to harm him. “The chief minister is hatching this conspiracy to harm me physically as he had done in Kannur,” a furious Khan told reporters.

Khan was referring to his inaugural address at the 80th Indian History Congress at Kannur University in December 2019 which was marred by protests.

Hundreds of delegates had protested when Khan, in the wake of anti-CAA agitation, alluded to how minorities were treated in Pakistan. The delegates urged him to look at the goings on in India instead.

On Monday, Khan lashed out against the SFI activists. “Goondas have been given charge of the roads of Thiruvananthapuram,” he said, citing his motorcade facing protesters at three locations.