Chidambaram allays fears of imposing President's Rule in West Bengal

Home minister P Chidambaram today said the opposition should not read too much into the visit of a central team to West Bengal even as the BJP shared Left parties' fear that the Centre might interfere in the state under pressure from a key ally.

"This is not in spirit of confrontation....we should work together in order to help the state," Chidambaram said during Zero Hour in the Rajya Sabha responding to concerns expressed by members belonging to Left parties, who alleged that the Centre was working under pressure of an ally and could misuse Article 356 of the Constitution to impose President's Rule in the state.

Leader of Opposition Arun Jaitley said though his party has serious differences with the Marxists, "we would like to be assured" that the central team to West Bengal has not gone at the behest of UPA's alliance partner, which wants to interfere in the functioning of the state government.

Though they did not name Trinamool Congress, the reference was clearly to the Mamata Banerjee's party, the principal opposition party in West Bengal.

Chidambaram said the Centre was working in close coordination with the state to ensure that law and order is maintained and "inter party clashes do not take place".

Earlier, the Rajya Sabha could not take up Question Hour as the Left parties forced two adjournments on the issue.

Chidambaram said the Centre has been in touch with West Bengal government and both are committed to ensure law and order.

"I have been in touch with the chief minister on more than one occasion. We both are committed to ensure that law and order is maintained in West Bengal," he said.

Chidambaram said he has suggested to the chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee to "do another review" of the situation in the state.

A Central team has reached West Bengal to assess the law and order situation in the wake of persistent demands by the Trinamool Congress. The state has witnessed an upswing in Maoist violence as well as clashes between Trinamool Congress and CPI(M) workers.

The opposition particularly the Left parties wanted specific assurance that the Centre would not undermine the federal structure by interfering into state's domain of law and order.

"Our apprehension stems from the fact that we (Left ruled state governments) had been victims of Article 356 four times," Yechury said objecting to the "political atmosphere in which it is being done".

He also sought an assurance that the central team will not visit any place in the state without consultation with the state government.

Yechury quoted the prime minister and the home minister having said that Maoist violence is the biggest menace. But at the same time, he said, "a member in the same cabinet... is patrnoising the same elements". SP general secretary Amar Singh also expressed similar concerns and recalled how the Mulayam Singh government in Uttar Pradesh had faced a threat of President's Rule.

Rajniti Prasad (RJD) said it should not be Centre's "Inspector Raj" that any body can be sent anywhere. "If you have to make any body chief minister, you should not do this," Prasad said.

D Raja (CPI) said the home minister should assure the House that there would be no interference by the Centre as law and order is a state subject and that the Centre will not undermine the federal structure.