"President Rule cannot be implemented arbitrarily": Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Bengal Governor report

North 24 Parganas (West Bengal) [India], May 5 (ANI): Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Sunday criticised the reported proposal of the Governor to impose President's Rule in West Bengal over violence in Murshidabad, saying it cannot be implemented "arbitrarily" and blamed the state administration for the deteriorating law and order.
The West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose filed a report to the Ministry of Home Affairs over the Murshidabad violence, which reportedly says that the centre is open to implementing Article 356 (President's rule) if the state's condition further deteriorates.
Speaking to ANI, Chowdhury said, "Implementation of Article 356 suddenly is not easy. We have a constitution here, as well as the judiciary. Arbitrarily, it cannot be implemented based on what the governor says. I don't know if there is a condition that the President's rule be implemented here. I understand that law and order are worsening here, and the state administration and the CM herself are responsible for it. For things to be better, this government must be removed, but not from the backdoor by implementing the president's rule."
Violence erupted on April 11 in Murshidabad during a protest against the Waqf (Amendment) Act. The violence resulted in two deaths, several injuries, and property damage. Thousands of people fled their homes in search of safety.
The protest had turned violent and resulted in two deaths, several injuries and property damage. Thousands of people had fled their homes in search of safety.
Earlier on April 26, BJP MP Tarun Chugh had accused the Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government of giving "shelter to rioters" following the violence in Murshidabad, and claimed that the silence proved complicity.
"The West Bengal government's silence on the premeditated and planned attack on Hindus in Murshidabad is proof that Mamata Banerjee's government has given shelter to the rioters," Chugh told ANI.
The protest later spread to other districts, including Malda, South 24 Parganas, and Hooghly, where incidents of arson, stone-pelting, and road blockades were reported. (ANI)