Decision to send central team to Bengal rocks Parliament

New Delhi, Nov 30 (PTI) The decision to send a central
team to India's eastern state of West Bengal rocked Parliament
on Monday with Left and Trinamool Congress clashing but the
Centre made it clear that there was "no scope" for imposition
of President's Rule after the Bommai judgement.
"Post-Bommai, there is no scope ...(for imposition of
central rule). The move to send the central team is entirely
non-confrontational. There is no need to view it through the
prism of Article 356," Home Minister P Chidambaram said in Lok
Sabha, after an almost similar statement in the Rajya Sabha
(Upper House of Indian Parliament).
In 1994, the Supreme Court in the S R Bommai case had
ruled that no government can be dismissed without being given
an opportunity to prove the strength on the floor of the
House. The court had also ruled that the House cannot be
dissolved unless both Houses of Parliament approves the same.
Both the Houses witnessed noisy scenes with the Upper
House being adjourned twice on the issue and Left parties and
SP members storming the well in Lok Sabha (Lower House of
Indian Parliament) , raising slogans and warning that any move
to impose President's Rule in the state would be
"unconstitutional".
Trinamool Congress members led by its chief whip Sudip
Bandopadhyay in Lok Sabha countered by demanding immediate
imposition of central rule.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)a known detractor of the
Left parties, cautioned the government with Leaders of
Opposition L K Advani in the Lok Sabha and Arun Jaitley in the
Rajya Sabha cautioning the government that it should not treat
Article 356 "lightly".
Maintaining that he was in constant touch with Chief
Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee with whom "I have got a good
working relationship", Chidambaram said the team was being
sent "to assist the state in maintaining law and order."
The Home Minister said the move was undertaken in view of
the growing inter-party clashes and the situation "has to be
viewed with utmost seriousness".
Noting that the government has provided central forces to
the state to carry out joint operations, he said he had
suggested to the Chief Minister to let him know if more help
was required. In that context, the central team was sent to
the state to hold talks with the state officials on how to
deal with the situation.
As Lok Sabha assembled for the day, Communist Party of
India-Marxist (CPI-M)leader Basudeb Acharia was on his feet
demanding suspension of Question Hour and taking up a
discussion on the issue. Left and SP members
immediately stormed the well.
Mulayam Singh Yadav (SP) attacked the government saying
its intentions were doubtful in sending the central team. "If
this happens, then President's Rule can be imposed in any
state. It will set a wrong precedent."
Without naming Trinamool, Yadav said attempts were being
made to "deliberately worsen" the law and order situation so
as to make the ground for central rule. "Please assure us that
there is no move to dismiss the government." PTI ARC
SKT