Bengal Opposition Leader Suvendu Adhikari has urged Governor CV Ananda Bose to recommend imposition of Article 355 in the State on grounds of deteriorating law and order situation. Adhikari's demand comes close on the heels of a number of violent incidents including the one at Chopra in Islampur where a couple was publicly flogged by a Trinamool Congress strongman and a series of attacks on the BJP workers in Cooch Behar and other districts taking place.
"I can give the name of 40-50 police stations in the State where the law and order situation has completely collapsed and there is no rule of law and safety of the people," Adhikari who has repeatedly expressed concern over the deteriorating law and order situation of the State said.
"Goons are on rampage in Bengal. It is not only the case of Chopra or Cooch Behar … the TMC backed criminals have taken control of the administration and with the help of the ruling party and taking advantage of a servile police force they are torturing the common man … today no one is safe .. there is no law and order in the State … the Governor as the constitutional head of the State should take immediate steps and write to the Centre about the falling law and order situation," Adhikari said.
"I know that law and order is a State subject … I don't recommend dismantling of an elected Government … Let the Mamata Banerjee Government complete its full term and continue till 2026 … my only appeal is to take the police administration from the hands of the State Government under Article 55 so that the law and order situation can be restored and the innocent people can be saved from falling victims of the TMC goons," he said adding "the State is in a situation where the people in constitutional posts should act" so as to establish rule of law and democracy in Bengal.
Article 355 of the Constitution says "It shall be the duty of the Union to protect every State against external aggression and internal disturbance and to ensure that the Government of every State is carried on in accordance with the provisions of this Constitution," implying thereby that the Centre in the case of internal disturbance (read deteriorating law and order situation) can take control of the police administration.
Curiously the Opposition Leader's statement comes close on the heels of the Governor himself writing to Home Minister Amit Shah seeking action against three senior bureaucrats of the State including Chief Secretary BP Gopalika.
In his letters to the Home Minister a few weeks ago Bose wrote, "Governors do send reports to the Centre.... But I haven't seen anything like this in 20-plus years in service. It is unprecedented."
Writing against the Chief Secretary, Kolkata Commissioner of Police and another Deputy Commissioner of Police the wrote, "the course of conduct adopted by a senior member of the Indian Administrative Service, who is presently working as the Chief Secretary to the Government of West Bengal, and two officers of the Indian Police Service working as the Commissioner of Police, Kolkata, and the Deputy Commissioner, Central Division, Kolkata, clearly reveals how these officers have been brazenly violating the provisions of the Constitution and the Conduct Rules in particular. In case no action is taken against these erring officers, it could send a wrong signal down the line resulting in further deterioration of the Services and consequentially harm the interests of the Nation."
The relationship between the Raj Bhavan and Nabanna (State secretariat) had hit its nadir with the Governor filing a defamation suit against the Chief Minister for allegedly making disrespectful remarks against him. The case is likely to be heard on Friday.
Meanwhile, the Calcutta High Court has granted permission to the Leader of Opposition to hold a day-long dharna in front of the Raj Bhavan pressing for his demands.