Press Statement
The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has issued the following statement:
Centre warned against Intervention in Tamilnadu
After the virtual sacking of the Governor of Tamilnadu, the BJP-led government is now contemplating further measures to intervene in Tamilnadu. Whether it be the use of Article 356 or 355, they would amount to gross misuse of the Constitutional provisions by the Central government.
The specious arguments being set out for Central intervention concern the arrest of the two Central ministers, whose behaviour has anyway been questionable in the events connected with Mr. Karunanidhi’s arrest, and the disregarding of the Governor’s report merely because it does not conform to the DMK-BJP view.
The Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) strongly condemns the threat against the Tamilnadu state government issued by George Fernandes on behalf of the NDA. The record of the BJP-led government and the NDA has been shameless as far as misuse of Article 356 is concerned. It seems they have not learnt any lesson from their debacle in Bihar.
The Tamilnadu assembly elections were held barely two months ago. The AIADMK and its allies swept the polls with 50 per cent of the vote. To act against a state government with such a popular mandate will be a grave assault on democracy.
The Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) warns the Vajpayee government that any violation of the federal principle and assault on democracy will not be tolerated. A serious political situation will be created in the country if the Centre proceeds on any rash or arbitrary actions.