Why is govt for Prez Rule in Arunachal: Pranab

Congress challenges the recommendation in SC; President is likely to seek legal opinion on the issue

A day after the Union Cabinet recommended President's Rule in Arunachal Pradesh, President Pranab Mukherjee on Monday asked Union home minister Rajnath Singh the reason for the "urgent" decision, sources said. The Congress challenged the recommendation in the Supreme Court, which listed the case for Wednesday. (The President's Rule is the imposition of Article 356 of the Constitution on a state seen as incapable of running the constitutional machinery. In such times, the state comes under the direct control of the central government.)

The President is likely to seek legal opinion on the issue.

While Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders exuded confidence that the President would eventually give assent to the Cabinet recommendation after seeking legal opinion, a Congress delegation filed a memorandum to the President. It argued this was the first time the Union Cabinet had recommended central rule in a state while the issue was in court. The party also enclosed a "summary of events" detailing the "disquieting events leading to the Governor's illegal actions".

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi termed the move a "blatant" bid to topple a duly-elected government.

"(Prime minister Narendra) Modiji, you talk about federalism, but murder democracy. You talk about cooperation, but use every means to coerce," he tweeted.

The Congress petition was mentioned before Chief Justice of India T S Thakur. He directed the matter to be listed for hearing on Wednesday. Already, a five-judge constitution Bench headed by J S Khehar is examining the scope of discretionary powers of a Governor under the constitution regarding his authority to convene an Assembly session with or without the advice of the chief minister and his council of ministers.

The fresh plea, filed by Rajesh Tacho, chief whip of Congress Legislature party, said that "illegal and unlawful" attempts had been made by the Centre and the Governor, Jyoti Prasad Rajkhowa, to topple the Nabam Tuki government. It has sought restoration of the Nabam Tuki government, along with Tuki's council of ministers, to office, by "reviving and re-activating" the sixth Arunachal Pradesh legislative Assembly.

The Cabinet decision came under attack from most of the opposition parties, which accused the Centre of "murdering" democracy.

BJP spokesman Sudhanshu Trivedi defended the Centre's action, saying the political crisis in Arunachal was because of an internal conflict of the Congress. Trivedi said a "a government cannot remain in office if it does not call for a session of the House within six months of the last session". He said Congress members of the legislative Assembly had revolted because of "family matter" and corruption charges against the government. The chief minister and the Speaker are cousins and worked together, fuelling resentment within the party, he said.

He said the Tuki government should have called the House by January 21 (Thursday) which it did not because it had "lost" majority. "Let alone the meeting of Assembly, even the meeting of Congress legislature party was not called for the simple reason that Congress had lost numbers," he said.

Trivedi exuded confidence that the President will take a decision in its wisdom.