Use Article 355 for Orissa, Karnataka, Left ask govt

New Delhi, Oct 13(UNI) Making a strong case for an immediate and effective use of Article 355 in Orissa, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh in the backdrop of continued violence against the minorities there, the Left parties stressed that the move was necessitated to defend the country's secular foundation.

While the CPI(M) questioned the government whether it had invoked the Article in Orissa and Karnataka, the CPI suggested not only the Article must be used effectively in Orissa, even the deployment of army should be considered.

Top Left leaders - Sitaram Yechury and A B Bardhan - speaking at the 14th National Integration Council meeting, deplored the "government's delay in intervening" in the grave situation, and called for strong advisories to be sent to the state governments about the action desired by the Centre.

Mr Bardhan, the veteran Communist and CPI General Secretary, suggested that the NIC meet should be an annual affair.

He also demanded a judicial probe into the Jamia Nagar encounter.

On Orissa, Mr Bardhan said not only the Orissa government had failed to contain violence, rather under its patronage the local police and administraiton helped the vandals, particularly those involved in "anti-Christian violence".

The CPI leader noted that the in the name of fighting terrorism, the police and the administraiton had unleashed a campaign against the "Muslim community" and the entire community is being blamed without substantiating the charges.

Senior CPI(M) leader and Polit Bureau member Sitaram Yechury questioned the Manmohan Singh government whether it had invoked the Article in Orissa and Karnataka.

''If so, what has been the response of the state governments?'' said Mr Yechury, adding the Centre had failed to intervene in the situation even after violence against the ''minority Christian community'' continued for weeks in many parts of the country, including Orissa, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh.

On terrorism, the Left party found the ruling coalition wanting on several counts, in particular the impartiality of the law enforcing agencies and their investigations.

''No persecution of any kind in combating terrorism, should be permitted.'' The Left leader, however, made ... picking up para six, line one of DI41, POLITICS-NIC-CPI (M).

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