Swamy urges Centre to impose President's Rule in West Bengal

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Subramanian Swamy on Wednesday urged the government to take strict action against the lawlessness that took place in Kolkata yesterday when Trinamool Congress (TMC) students' wing vandalised the saffron party's state office, adding that the Centre can even impose President's Rule if the situation demands so.

"What I would recommend our government to do is, under Article 256 to begin with, to send a direction to the state government saying that you better bring law and order under control otherwise 256 entitles the Centre to declare President's rule even if party there in power has majority in the assembly. So, this warning needs to be given under Article 256," Swamy told ANI.

Throwing light on other measure which the government can resort to in order to rein the situation in Kolkata, Swamy said the Centre can also appoint district magistrates who would then issue warrants against those involved in the violent act.

"Also, under Article 247 of the Constitution, the government can, by an ordinance, appoint district magistrates of senior rank to all the district magistrates of Bengal and these district magistrates should then issue warrants against all those who have information of having engaged in this arson and take appropriate action," he said

Condemning the entire incident, Swamy put the onus on the Centre of taking due care of law and order in a state if the state government fails to do so.

"Law and order is direct responsibility of the state government and the chief minister is the head of that and when the ruling party attacks the opposition, the breakdown of the constitution is severe. In my opinion, it merits serious action by the Centre, which has plenty of powers under the Constitution," he said.

The BJP office in Kolkata was attacked by TMC students' wing on Tuesday following the party MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay's arrest in connection with Rose Valley chit-fund scam.

Few hours later, BJP leader Krishna Bhattacharya's house was attacked late Tuesday night by TMC workers, few hours after the party's Kolkata office was attacked.

Bandyopadhyay was taken to Bhubaneshwar on Tuesday.

He will be produced in Bhubaneshwar Court on Wednesday in connection with the case.