President's Rule regressive, undemocratic: Regional parties

NEW DELHI: Regional parties, including TMC, BJD and Akali Dal, today opposed the practice of invoking Article 356 to impose President's Rule in states, terming it as "regressive" and "anti-democracy"

Against the backdrop of imposition President's Rule in Uttarakhand, these parties said the BJP-led NDA government is following in the footsteps of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

"If states are disturbed this way, it reminds us of Indira Gandhi when Article 356 was misused... All these are regressive steps and bad procedure," Tathagata Satpathy (BJD) said while participating in a discussion on Uttarakhand Budget for 2016-17.

Prem Singh Chandumajra (SAD), an NDA ally, too opposed imposition of central rule on states.

However, with regard to Uttarakhand, he supported the government's move and said Congress is now getting a taste of its own medicine.

"We oppose invoking of Article 356. Akali Dal has been a victim of this in the past," Chandumajhra said.

About imposition of President's Rule in Uttarakhand, he said the "Centre did not have any alternative".

Satpathy said, "there is desperation within the NDA government especially because they lost Bihar elections and the larger cow belt. So they are focusing on smaller states in Arunachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand to coble up majority."

He then targeted the Congress, saying "None of us can forget from 1951 how Congress government during Indira Gandhi's time had misused Article 356 and had been demolishing democratically elected governments in states. The original Mrs Gandhi kicked out governments. Nobody respected wishes of people."

He said what is happening in Arunachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand is "anti-democracy" and a "sad thing" as people expected cooperative federalism from the NDA government.

"What worries us now is which state government is your target now," Satpathy said.

Contending that he is equally distanced from Congress and BJP, Saugata Ray (TMC) said as a regional party, it is opposed to imposition of President's Rule as it overrides the Constitutional power of states.

"We think the drama in Uttarakhand has been a sordid drama and shamed Indian democracy and both sides are to be blamed.. It is unfortunate," Ray said.