Clarify stand on Article 356, BJP tells CPM

NEW DELHI, SEPT 25: The BJP today joined issue with the CPIM by asking it to clarify its position on Article 356. How do you explain y...

NEW DELHI, SEPT 25: The BJP today joined issue with the CPIM by asking it to clarify its position on Article 356. 8220;How do you explain your support for the dismissal of the four BJP governments in 1992 in the immediate aftermath of the demolition of the Babri masjid? How do you justify your support to the United Front Government8217;s dismissal of the Gujarat government after it had proved its majority in the state Assembly? In both these cases, there was not a single incident of breakdown of law and order,8221; BJP general secretary M. Venkaiah Naidu observed.

By contrast, in West Bengal 8212; by the state government8217;s own admission 8212; 800 people had been killed in political violence, he claimed, adding: 8220;The very fact that there are numerous relief camps running across the state for the rehabilitation of thousands of people uprooted from the villages gives a clear picture of the situation prevailing there.8221;

The BJP leader saw this as an outcome of the reign of terror let loose by the state apparatus. 8220;It is not a mere clash between two political parties,8221; he said. He reiterated that the BJP was not talking about imposing Article 356 in the state even though the situation there was serious.

Meanwhile, the CPIM 8212; under constant attack from the BJP-led Government at the Centre 8212; decided to return the compliment by condemning new party chief Bangaru Laxman for ignoring the flood-affected people during his recent visit to Midnapore in West Bengal. Accusing Laxman of playing politics at a time when the state is struggling to contain the worst-ever flood in 20 years, the CPIM politburo here said: 8220;He did not have the courtesy to offer relief to the flood-affected people in the state. Instead, he was talking on an issue which is furthermost from the people8217;s mind right now.8221;

Pointing to Laxman8217;s visit as a proof of the BJP-led Government8217;s 8220;narrow self-serving concern about the state and its people8221;, the leaders of the Left parties 8212; which are holding a joint convention here tomorrow 8212; said they would raise the issue with Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and President K.R. Narayanan.

As part of the Left8217;s counter-attack programme, a group of MPs from the Left parties visited the violence-affected parts of Midnapore district 8220;to assure the people that Trinamool inspired violence will stop8221;.

On the defensive, the Left parties were also careful to play down senior West Bengal Congress MP Priya Ranjan Dasmunshi8217;s visit to the Prime Minister8217;s residence in company of their arch rival and Union Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee.

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8220;Dasmunshi had gone there in his personal capacity and not as a representative of the Congress party. It is their problem, let them sort it out. In any case, they have clarified their stand,8221; a senior CPIM MP from West Bengal said.

Ridiculing Mamata Banerjee8217;s wangling of a relief package from the Prime Minister for the flood-affected people in West Bengal 8212; where unofficial figures put the toll at over 500 8212; the CPI-M politburo said: 8220;It is another of her packages. No one will see where the relief went, like nobody knows what happened to her West Bengal package.8221;

The CPIM, with the support of other Left parties, is preparing a dossier of the land reform programme which, it says, is the source of violence in various parts of the state.