Regional parties, including Trinamool Congress (TMC), Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and Akali Dal, on Monday opposed the practice of invoking Article 356 to impose President’s Rule in states, terming it as “regressive” and “anti-democracy”.
Against the backdrop of the imposition President’s Rule in Uttarakhand, these parties said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led NDA government was following in the footsteps of former PM Indira Gandhi. “If states are disturbed this way, it reminds us of Indira Gandhi when Article 356 was misused... All these are regressive steps and bad procedure,” Tathagata Satpathy (BJD) said while participating in a discussion on Uttarakhand Budget for 2016-17.
Prem Singh Chandumajra (SAD), an NDA ally, too opposed imposition of central rule in states. However, with regard to Uttarakhand, he supported the government’s move and said that the Congress was now getting a taste of its own medicine. “We oppose invoking of Article 356. The Akali Dal has been a victim of this in the past,” Chandumajhra said. He said the “Centre did not have an alternative”.
Satpathy said: “There is desperation within the NDA government, especially because they lost the Bihar elections and the larger cow belt. So they are focusing on smaller states in Arunachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand to coble up majority.”
He targeted the Congress, saying “None of us can forget from 1951 how the Congress government
during Indira Gandhi’s time had misused Article 356 and had been demolishing democratically elected governments in states. The original Mrs Gandhi kicked out governments. Nobody respected wishes of people.”
Contending that he is equally distanced from the Congress and BJP, Saugata Roy (TMC) said as a regional party, it is opposed to the imposition of President’s Rule as it overrides the Constitutional power of states.
“We think the drama in Uttarakhand has been sordid and shamed Indian democracy and both sides are to be blamed. It is unfortunate,” he said.
LS passes 4-month budget for U’khand
On the eve of floor test in Uttarakhand, the Lok Sabha on Monday passed the four-month budget for the state with the government insisting that it was a constitutional requirement even as several opposition parties questioned the “haste” in view of Tuesday’s action.
Piloting the Appropriation Bill, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said Parliament has to pass the Bill “irrespective of what happens tomorrow” as it had made provisions for expenditure in the state since April 1. Congress, whose government was dismissed in March, staged a walkout to protest the government action of piloting the Bill. The Bill was passed by voice vote in its absence.
The development came even as Uttarakhand is set to have a vote of confidence on Tuesday to determine whether Congress leader Harish Rawat has enough numbers to retain power in the state that is currently under the President’s Rule. Jaitley put up a strong defence on President rule in the Uttarakhand, saying the state would have otherwise plunged into a constitutional crisis.