Alleging interference by the Left Front government in the working of CBI and CRPF in Nandigram, the BJP on Wednesday asked the Centre to invoke Article 355 of the Constitution and save the state from internal disturbance.The party alleged that the West Bengal government was making every attempt to “frustrate” and “demoralise” CBI and the CRPF and wants the Centre to use Article 355 to “rein in” the Buddhadeb Bhattacharya administration.Article 355 is a rarely used Emergency provision to protect states against external aggression and internal disturbance and to ensure that the government of every state is carried on in accordance with the Constitution.BJP alleged that the West Bengal police and state administration were denying proper assistance to CRPF personnel deployed in the troubled Nandigram region while CPI(M) cadres were lodging false cases against the force.“Every attempt is being made to frustrate and demoralise these two agencies so that the gross crime of CPM cadres goes unchecked and un-investigated and the victims may not get any relief,” BJP spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad claimed.“It is a serious question of constitutional impropriety,” he said and demanded that prompt and fair investigation be carried out in all the cases.“As both the the CBI and the CRPF are central agencies, it is imperative that the government of India direct the state government under Article 355 of the Constitution that fair investigation be allowed to be done by the CBI unhindered and the CRPF be allowed to take all steps needed without fear,” he said.
