Birbhum killings: PM Modi to meet BJP MPs on Wednesday

Several opposition MPs have called for President’s Rule in West Bengal

ITDC INDIA EPRESS/ITDC NEWS R  The ghost of the President’s Rule is looming over West Bengal once again, after the violence in Birbhum, where nine people were burnt to death.

Lok Sabha Congress MP Adhir Chowdhury recently demanded that Article 355 of the Constitution be imposed in the state, through which the Union government can take over the law and order of the state.

On March 28, West Bengal governor Jagdeep Dhankhar met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi, and submitted a report on the “constitutional breakdown” in West Bengal.

The same day, West Bengal BJP MLAs clashed with TMC MLAs over the Birbhum killings. The saffron party’s chief whip in assembly, Manoj Tigga, was, allegedly, injured, and was taken to Delhi for treatment as a top private hospital in the state, BJP MLAs alleged, refused to treat the “politically motivated” case of Tigga.

Interestingly, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has invited all West Bengal BJP MPs for a breakfast meeting on March 30. Hours before the invite, the MPs got together at the residence of MoS (Home) Nisith Pramanik.

Meanwhile, Dhankhar has called Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who is in north Bengal now, to Raj Bhavan this week for an “urgent meeting” on law and order.

The governor has expressed concern at Banerjee’s stance to “hit the streets in protest against CBI probe of Rampurhat killing ignoring that CBI investigation is ordered and monitored by the Honble High Court at Calcutta”, Raj Bhavan said in a statement.

“Governance is already cliff hanging in the state from the perspective of constitution and law, and is further being strained by horrifying incidents of barbarity and in the hallowed precincts of the West Bengal assembly.”

While several opposition leaders in West Bengal want Article 355, BJP leaders want the TMC government dismissed immediately.

“Neither the post-poll violence, nor the chit fund scam or any other cases are being investigated properly. There is no natural justice in the state. Union government cannot remain a mute spectator,” said a BJP MP.

He said that the MPs would demand the same in the meeting with Modi.