Zeenews Bureau
New Delhi: Union Home Minister P Chidambaram Tuesday defended the Centre’s decision to send a three-member team to review situation in West Bengal in the wake of recurring political clashes between the Left parties and Trinamool Congress over the past few months.
Justifying the move, Chidambaram said, “It was strictly in accordance with the Constitution."
The Home Minister made this remark while presenting the monthly progress report of his Ministry here.
The Centre’s decision to send a high level team to West Bengal has evoked sharp reactions from the Left Front. Besides, several other opposition parties, including the BJP, SP, BSP have also opposed the move leading to an uproar in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha and a spate of adjournments on Monday.
The Left Front chairman Biman Bose today lashed out at the Centre for its decision to send a high-level team to the state.
“The centre’s move is uncalled for and unwanted. It cannot be justified under any circumstances, “he said.
He also attacked the Centre for succumbing to the pressure exerted by the Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee and blamed her for the sorry state of affairs in West Bengal.
However, Chidambaram had assured that he had provided satisfactory explanations to the opposition parties.
"I replied to them that the visit to West Bengal was strictly in accordance with the constitution. This visit was intended to help the state government to maintain law and order and put an end to inter-party clashes. They (opposition) were satisfied with my reply," Chidambaram told reporters here.
Chidambaram had on Monday said the visit was not meant as groundwork to invoking President`s Rule in the state.
Meanwhile, the team led by Additional Home Secretary (Naxal Management) DRS Choudhary today held a meeting with the State Chief Secretary.
The team also held discussions with the state`s top bureaucrat Ashok Mohan Chakraborty to find ways to put an end to political clashes.
The team is scheduled to visit some hotspots in East Midnapore, Burdwan and Hooghly districts before returning to Delhi on Wednesday.
