Author: Observer Political
Bureau
Publication: The Observer
of Business and Politics
Date: September 15,
2000
Andhra Pradesh chief
minister Chandra Babu Naidu on Thursday expressed his serious concern about
the ongoing political killing in West Bengal and said that the Centre must
act to ensure normalcy.
Talking to newsmen after
his one-hour meeting with Union home minister L K Advani, Mr Naidu said
that it was sad that there were violations of democratic and political
rights in the state and people were being killed.
"I have made it clear
with the home minister that the Centre must act upon and can not remain
silent on these issues, I had useful discussions with him," he added.
Replying to a question
whether the TDP would support the use of Art 356 or the disturbed areas
act, Mr Naidu said that our stand on the Art 356 was known to everyone.
The TDP had even talked about abolition of this provison of the Constitution.
"But the political decisions
change at different circumstances. The report of the NDA leaders
and the defence minister Geroge Fernandes have established that the political
killing in certain parts of the West Bengal are going and there should
be some method to stop it, if the state government has failed to do so,"
Mr Naidu added.
Earlier, Mr Naidu discussed
the law and order situation of West Bengl with Ms Banerjee and extended
his moral support to the Trinamool Congress for its on-going fight against
the Left Front government in the West Bengal. He also tried to explain
the composition of Parliament and the legal hurdles about imposition of
the President's rule in the state.
However, he agreed to
the demand that certain areas of the West Bengal may be declared as the
disturbed areas.
Talking to newsmen Ms
Banerjee said she was grateful to Mr Naidu for his support to the fight
against the misrule of West Bengal. "I stick to the demand of the
imposition of the President's rule in the state. The report of the
defence minister has confirmed our charges. But now it is upto the
home ministry to act. I am satisfied about the concern shown by all
cabinet colleagues and the partners of the NDA," she said.
Meanwhile, the home ministry
has sought another report from the state governor Viren Sah following the
memorandum submitted by the Trinamool Congress leaders to him in the West
Bengal. The report is expected to be sent within a day or two.
The home ministry is
also preparing a proper response to the letter written by the West Bengal
chief minister Jyoti Basu, sources added.