TMC to boycott all Centre-convened meetings till MHA stops sending advisory under Art 355

TMC member Saugata Roy Friday said the West Bengal government will continue to boycott meetings called by the Centre till the Union Home Ministry stops sending advisory to the state under Article 355.

Speaking during Zero Hour in the Lok Sabha, Roy said while the Centre seeks cooperation from states, it sends advisories to them under Article 355 twice a week.

Article 355 of Constitution pertains to duty of the Union to protect states against external aggression and internal disturbance.

"My party (TMC) boycotted the meeting called by Centre on 'one nation, one election'... As long as the Home Ministry does not stop sending notices, we will not attend meetings called by the Centre," he asserted.

In the wake of violence in West Bengal post the general election results in May, the Home Ministry earlier this month issued an advisory to the state government seeking to know the measures taken by it to maintain law and order.

Ravneet Singh of Congress raised the issue of alleged police assault on a tempo driver and his minor son in Delhi's Mukherjee Nagar and demanded an inquiry into the matter.

"(Home Minister) Amit Shah who talks about 1984 (anti- Sikh riots) did not speak on this issue," he said.

Kirit Solanki, who was in the Chair, remarked that the matter is a state issue.

To which, Singh replied that Delhi Police is under the Union Home Ministry and demanded that Section 295A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings or any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) of IPC be imposed.

Mahua Moitra of TMC raised the issue of airing of Namo TV just before the general election which gave 'unfair' advantage to the ruling party.

The channel was withdrawn after the elections, she said, adding that an inquiry should be conducted into the matter.

Meanwhile, JD(S) member from Karnataka Prajwal Revanna took oath of duty in the House.