Impose Art 355 in Maharashtra, demands BJP

New Delhi, Oct 21 (UNI) Demanding the imposition of Article 355 of the Constitution in Maharashtra, BJP's Chief Ministerial candidate V K Malhotra alleged that the Raj Thackeray- led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) could unleash terror in Mumbai as it had tacit support of the Congress-NCP government in the state.

''Both the Congress and MNS are united in a conspiracy to target the Shiv Sena in Maharashtra. That is why Raj Thackeray could get away with all the violence before. It was only under pressure from other leaders in the UPA that Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh acted this time and arrested Raj,'' Mr Malhotra said at a press conference here.

He said there was nothing wrong if the regional parties promoted Marathi language in schools or gave it a special status. ''But no one has the right to stop anybody from visiting Mumbai or working there. Hindustan is one, everybody has the right to go within the country wherever he or she wants.'' He also wondered if the Centre could consider imposing Article 355 in Orissa or Karnataka, then why was it not doing so in case of Maharashtra.

Mr Malhotra also attacked the Centre for making a mockery of democracy by merging the Monsoon and Winter sessions of Parliament.

''By convening a short Parliament session now, that too between Dussehra and Diwali holidays and also at a time when elections have been announced in five states, the Government has shown scant regard for Parliament,'' he said.

The Opposition should have been given a chance to raise issues like markets crash, Batla House encounter, Naxalism and terrorism, the BJP leader said.

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