Amidst an escalating political clash between the Trinamool Congress and the BJP over the violence in West Bengal’s Birbhum district, Congress leader in Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, penned a letter to President Ram Nath Kovind on Wednesday. In the letter, Chowdhury urged the President to invoke Article 355 of the Constitution to ensure that the state government functions in line with constitutional provisions.
Expressing deep concern over the breakdown of law and order in West Bengal, Chowdhury highlighted the alarming situation, stating that the state witnessed 26 political murders in the last month alone. He emphasized the prevalence of violence related to both poll and post-poll scenarios, leading to loss of lives and instilling a sense of fear throughout the state.
Having previously raised the issue in Parliament on Monday to bring national attention to the constitutional breakdown in Bengal, Chowdhury reiterated in his letter that, “In view of the deteriorating law and order situation in West Bengal, I request you to invoke Article 355 of the Constitution to ensure that the Government of West Bengal is carried on in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution.”
Article 355 of the Constitution pertains to an emergency provision allowing the Centre to intervene and safeguard a state against external aggression or internal disturbances.
