Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Thursday said that the law and order situation in some parts of West Bengal was ''grave'' but article 356 should be used with ''utmost care''.
''I am aware that the law and order situation in some areas of the state is grave, but one must apply one's mind extremely carefully before using Article 356,'' Gandhi told newsmen when asked to comment on the repeated demand by the Trinamool Congress for imposing President's Rule in the state.
Asked if her party would support the Vajpayee government in Rajya Sabha if such a move was taken, the Congress President said ''it is quite hypothetical''.
Gandhi, who earlier made a two-hour aerial survey of the flood-hit areas of the state, said, “Many NDA partners had expressed reservations on the use of Article 356 in the past. ''However, we leave it to the government (Centre) to decide,'' she said.
She said that her party wanted the Jyoti Basu government to take stringent measures to stop violence, adding that non-violence was the need of the hour.
Bureau Report
