Left parties raised the issue in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha as soon as the Houses assembled for the day, saying the Centre's step was "violation of the Constitution".
Arch rivals Left parties and BJP today got together in Parliament to take on the government for sending a central team to West Bengal, accusing it of planning to impose President's Rule and "murdering democracy" but their fears were allayed by home minister P Chidambaram.
Left parties raised the issue in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha as soon as the Houses assembled for the day, saying the Centre's step was "violation of the Constitution" and any move to impose the President's Rule would not be tolerated.
They were supported by SP and BJP and both Houses witnessed pandemonium that disrupted proceedings and led to adjournments.
Allaying fears of central rule, Chidambaram said in identical statements in both Houses that there was "no need to view it (visit of the team) through the prism of Article 356 (under which the President's Rule is imposed in a state)."
He said, "The move to send the central team is entirely non-confrontational."
Earlier, Left parties and SP members stormed the well in the Lok Sabha, raising slogans and warning that any move to impose President's Rule in the state would be "unconstitutional".
Basudeb Acharia (CPI-M), who wanted suspension of Question Hour to discuss the development, said sending the team to the state amounted to "murder of democracy". Acharia wanted to know whether a situation to impose central rule had arisen in the state and whether law and order problem could be called internal disturbance.
"All states are facing such problems", he said, underlining that law and order was purely a state subject.
CPI leader Gurudas Dasgupta said sending of the central team "gives a signal" that it would paralyse an elected government in West Bengal and prevent it from carrying out its constitutional duties.
SP leader Mulayam Singh Yadav said the government's intentions were doubtful and if central rule was imposed, it would set a wrong precedent.
Without naming Trinamool, Yadav said attempts were being made to "deliberately worsen" the law and order situation so as to make the ground for central rule. "Please assure us that there is no move to dismiss the government."
Leader of Opposition LK Advani also cautioned against imposition of central rule in West Bengal even as he mentioned that his party was critical of Left parties.
He said Article 356 should not be taken lightly and it should be used in "rarest of rare cases".
Trinamool MPs led by its chief whip Sudip Bandopadhyay countered by demanding immediate imposition of central rule.
In the Rajya Sabha, CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury said the move to send the team was "violation of the Constitution" and federal structure and it "will not be tolerated."
Supporting him, Leader of the Opposition Arun Jaitley said the UPA was sending the team perhaps under pressure from its allies — a reference to Trinamool Congress.
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