Arif Mohammad Khan Takes Oath as the 42nd Governor of Bihar
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Patna, Jan 2 (NationPress) Arif Mohammad Khan was officially inaugurated as Bihar's 42nd Governor on Thursday at Rajendra Mandapam, located within the Raj Bhavan.
The oath of office and secrecy was administered by Patna High Court Chief Justice Krishnan Vinod Chandran.
The event witnessed the presence of notable figures including Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary, and various other ministers.
Khan, who previously held the position of Kerala Governor, takes over from Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar.
Prior to his swearing-in ceremony, Khan paid his respects to former President Rajendra Prasad at his memorial in Patna.
Upon his arrival in Patna on Monday, Khan expressed to the media his intention to "endeavor to fulfill his responsibilities in accordance with the illustrious tradition of the state".
He becomes the second individual from the minority community to assume the Governor's office in Bihar, following A. R. Kidwai, who served from August 14, 1993, to April 26, 1998.
Khan boasts a rich and varied political history, having affiliations with the Janata Party, Lok Dal, Bahujan Samaj Party, Congress, and the BJP.
His prior role as a Union Minister, alongside Chief Minister Nitish, is noted for his resignation from Congress concerning the Shah Bano case.
On December 24, President Droupadi Murmu appointed governors for five different states.
Among the appointments, Vijay Kumar Singh was designated as Mizoram Governor, Hari Babu Kambhampati as Odisha Governor, Ajay Kumar Bhalla as Manipur Governor, and Rajendra Viswanath Arlekar as Kerala Governor.
The relationship between Khan and Chief Minister Vijayan was strained, marked by public disagreements. Tensions escalated due to Khan's opposition to the Kerala government's attempts to influence state universities. This discord led to Khan's refusal to endorse several important ordinances and bills, prompting the state government to seek intervention from the Supreme Court.
