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Bangaru Laxman for Article 356 in Bengal

Bharatiya Janata Party president Bangaru Laxman on Saturday supported the demand for imposition of President's rule under Article 356 of the Constitution in West Bengal describing the situation in the state as 'very serious'.

"There is enough weight in the demand for imposition of Article 356,'' Laxman told reporters after meeting violence-affected people of three gram panchayats under Debra police station. "The situation is very serious and merits imposition of President's rule,'' he said.

Last week, he had said the situation in the strife-torn Midnapore district seemed to be peaceful 'and does not support the demand for central intervention'.

Laxman met people at a refugee camp in West Lahana village under Debra police station. The camp inmates narrated to him their woes and sufferings allegedly at the hands of the Communist Party of India-Marxist cadres from the nearby Keshpur area.

He said these people had been living in the open without food and shelter and faced a constant threat from CPI-M goons. A visibly moved Laxman said that apart from supporting the demand for President's rule, he would apprise the Centre about the extent of damage to life and property of the people of this district.

"I would like to make it clear that if the state government does not change itself and stop this policy of suppression I would suggest the Centre's intervention. There is every justification for intervention of the Centre,'' he said.

About Defence Minister George Fernandes' report, he said it was based on his personal 'horrific experience'. Replying to a question, Laxman said Fernandes was all along accompanied during his tour of the affected areas by Midnapore's district magistrate and the superintendent of police.

State BJP president Ashim Ghosh, vice-president Muzaffar Khan and Union Minister of State for Communications Tapan Sikdar accompanied Laxman on his visit.

Sikdar said he was withdrawing his previous statement that there was no need to use Article 356 in the state. Laxman said the CPI-M had panicked and, therefore, called back Jyoti Basu from the verge of retirement "because he is a 1000 watt bulb while others are zero watt."

UNI

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