Congress disagrees with demand for Nasreen's deportation

New Delhi, Nov 22 (UNI) The Congress today disagreed with the reported demand of Marxist leader Bimon Bose that exiled Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasreen should not be allowed to stay in West Bengal, and said these were things which were regulated by procedures in vogue for several years.

''It is not a procedure for individual...There is a regulated procedure followed by the Home Ministry for several years regarding the extension of visas and stay documents,'' AICC spokesman Abhishek Manu Singhvi told mediapersons here today.

He, however, said if the state government had any complaint in respect of particular individual to the effect that he or she was creating a situation of law and order and grave distrubance, it was for the state itself to make a recommendation to the Centre. In such cases, the Centre would consider the case and apply its mind.

''There is a window for the state government for request. But it (the Marxist-led Left front government) has not made any such request with regard to Ms Nasreen,'' he said.

Referring to the demand of Mr Bose on Ms Nasreen, Dr Singhvi said ''It is not the question of what Mr Bose had demanded. It is a demand to be made by the state government.'' ''However, at the moment it is only an expression of opinion (by Mr Bose),'' he added.

Replying to questions on violence in Kolkata, Dr Singhvi wondered why the government had called in the army to quell a mob of 200 in the city yesterday and why it did not do the same when there were several deaths in Nandigram in January, March and this month.

''The West Bengal government should explain why incidents in Kolkata require such an action and why Nandigram should be treated differently,'' he said.

In this context, he advised the state government to accept mistakes and errors.

''It is important to say that we are not infallible. We should accept mistakes and errors and use correctives which will not diminish yourself but increases your dignity,'' Dr Singhvi said.

He said if excesses had occurred in Nanidgarm, which ''according to us were undeniable'', the process of reconcilation should start with the process of realisation and consciousness.

''That realisation and consciousness also have to include dissent and disagreement which are heart of democracy not only in Delhi, but also in West Bengal. No different brand of democracy is permitted.

Neither definition or content of democracy can be altered,'' he observed.

Referring to the debate on Nandigram in Parliament, he said the questions asked in the house was not for finger pointing but only for introspection.

Asked if the Congress was in favour of invocation of Article 355 or 356 of the Constitution, Dr Singhvi said ''This is not a solution for all problems. However, it is necessary only under extreme circumstances.'' ''The Home Ministry is also seized of the matter,'' he added.

UNI