Congress, BJP for Centre’s intervention with Article 355 in West Bengal

Activists of the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) shout slogans against the state government for the recent alleged rapes and murders around the state in Kolkata. Credit: AFP Photo

After Congress, the BJP leadership in West Bengal is putting out feelers for the Centre’s invention in the state by invoking Article 355 under the emergency provisions of the Constitution.

Article 355 mentions that “It shall be the duty of the Union to protect every state against external aggression and internal disturbance and to ensure that the government of every state is carried on under the provisions of this Constitution”.

Stating that the law and order situation in the state has completely broken down, Congress MP from West Bengal and leader of the party in Lok Sabha Adhir Rajan Chowdhury on March 23 wrote to President Ram Nath Kovind, requesting to invoke Article 355 in Bengal. He cited 26 political murders and violence during and after polls as other reasons.

Recently, BJP’s MLA and leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari told the media that the Centre should interfere in Bengal, take away policing powers, and at least invoke Article 355.

Dilip Ghosh, a BJP MP and national vice president, has said that a way within the constitutional framework must be found, but that people are talking about Article 356 (Presidential Rule) and that now is the time to think about it.

West Bengal Congress general secretary Ritzu Ghosal said: “If government machinery fails or internal disturbances are aggravated, it is the duty of the Union to take control. That is what we are asking.”

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However, Trinamool MP Sukhendu Sekhar Roy said there was no justification for such a demand. Citing several violent cases — Hathras, Unnao — he questioned why the Congress or the BJP didn’t raise such demand then.

“The BJP, Congress, and CPI(M) have made an 'unholy’ alliance to embarrass our government. This is a frustrated demand of the frustrated political parties. I demand that Article 355 be invoked against the Rajasthan government where the communal situation has affected people,” he told DH.

Trinamool MP Saugata Roy said Article 355 only means a sort of warning, and the Centre has the power to issue an advisory.

“I don’t want Article 356 invoked. Article 355 is not needed at the moment and will depend on an assessment of the situation. There has to be ground,” CPM MP and lawyer Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya said.

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