Kolkata: In a report to the Union home minister, governor CV Ananda Bose has recommended imposition of Article 356 in Bengal only if “the situation deteriorates further” following the communal strife in Murshidabad, which left three people dead on April 12. Trinamool Congress immediately labelled it a “please BJP and malign Bengal report”, and questioned the governor’s neutrality. The governing party also stated that the situation was under control, so there was no question of “deterioration”.
According to sources, Bose sent his report to Union home minister Amit Shah after visiting Malda and Murshidabad on April 18-19. Raj Bhavan did not issue any formal statement on the matter. It was learnt that the governor recommended multiple measures, including President’s rule. In the report, Bose called for the establishment of a statutory judicial commission of inquiry on the Murshidabad violence, as well as intervention of Centre in cases where state govt failed to take prompt and effective action.
Highlighting shortcomings in the police infrastructure in Bengal, the governor noted a shortage of manpower, often prompting deployment of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) in the state. He also called for the setting up of CAPF camps in sensitive areas, especially minority-dominated and Bangladesh-bordering Murshidabad and Malda districts.
Responding to this, Trinamool Congress spokesperson Kunal Ghosh told reporters: “The report given by the governor is entirely politically motivated. He has provided the report due to his political assignment. He knows the situation is under control, so the word deterioration does not apply here. The governor also knows that the responsibility for the border areas lies with the ministry of home affairs, the BSF. If attackers enter from the other side or there is infiltration, it is BSF’s responsibility.” Ghosh added that BSF must fulfil its duties properly, and this should have found mention in the governor’s report, and dubbed it a “please BJP” and “malign Bengal” report.
Interestingly, BJP, which is against imposition of Article 356 in Bengal, reacted cautiously. BJP’s Rajya Sabha MP Samik Bhattacharya said the time had come for intervention, although the party was, “in principle”, against dislodging a democratically elected govt.
“We have been warning about the law-and-order situation in the state for a long time. It seems that the governor realised it late. He is the custodian of the Constitution, and it is up to him to write what he feels is right. The custodian of the Constitution has to take a decision in a state where there is no rule of law,” said Bhattacharya.
He also argued that the party was against removing a govt by invoking Article 356, but the state did not care for any federal structure.
Bengal Congress made it clear it was against Article 356. Pradesh Congress President Subhankar Sarkar said, “In a federal structure, a democratically elected govt should not be removed by invoking Article 356. There are many provisions in the Constitution which can be used to enforce a check and balance if the law and order situation deteriorates. But a govt should only be removed through election. The constitutional authority has to ensure that there is an ambience for free, fair and fearless polls in the state.”
Kolkata: In a report to the Union home minister, governor CV Ananda Bose has recommended imposition of Article 356 in Bengal only if “the situation deteriorates further” following the communal strife in Murshidabad, which left three people dead on April 12. Trinamool Congress immediately labelled it a “please BJP and malign Bengal report”, and questioned the governor’s neutrality. The governing party also stated that the situation was under control, so there was no question of “deterioration”.
According to sources, Bose sent his report to Union home minister Amit Shah after visiting Malda and Murshidabad on April 18-19. Raj Bhavan did not issue any formal statement on the matter. It was learnt that the governor recommended multiple measures, including President’s rule. In the report, Bose called for the establishment of a statutory judicial commission of inquiry on the Murshidabad violence, as well as intervention of Centre in cases where state govt failed to take prompt and effective action.
Highlighting shortcomings in the police infrastructure in Bengal, the governor noted a shortage of manpower, often prompting deployment of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) in the state. He also called for the setting up of CAPF camps in sensitive areas, especially minority-dominated and Bangladesh-bordering Murshidabad and Malda districts.
Responding to this, Trinamool Congress spokesperson Kunal Ghosh told reporters: “The report given by the governor is entirely politically motivated. He has provided the report due to his political assignment. He knows the situation is under control, so the word deterioration does not apply here. The governor also knows that the responsibility for the border areas lies with the ministry of home affairs, the BSF. If attackers enter from the other side or there is infiltration, it is BSF’s responsibility.” Ghosh added that BSF must fulfil its duties properly, and this should have found mention in the governor’s report, and dubbed it a “please BJP” and “malign Bengal” report.
Interestingly, BJP, which is against imposition of Article 356 in Bengal, reacted cautiously. BJP’s Rajya Sabha MP Samik Bhattacharya said the time had come for intervention, although the party was, “in principle”, against dislodging a democratically elected govt.
“We have been warning about the law-and-order situation in the state for a long time. It seems that the governor realised it late. He is the custodian of the Constitution, and it is up to him to write what he feels is right. The custodian of the Constitution has to take a decision in a state where there is no rule of law,” said Bhattacharya.
He also argued that the party was against removing a govt by invoking Article 356, but the state did not care for any federal structure.
Bengal Congress made it clear it was against Article 356. Pradesh Congress President Subhankar Sarkar said, “In a federal structure, a democratically elected govt should not be removed by invoking Article 356. There are many provisions in the Constitution which can be used to enforce a check and balance if the law and order situation deteriorates. But a govt should only be removed through election. The constitutional authority has to ensure that there is an ambience for free, fair and fearless polls in the state.”