Naidu for peace in West Bengal

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, SEPT. 15. The Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, Mr. N. Chandrababu Naidu, said here today that restoration of peace and protection of the lives and properties of people in West Bengal was the need of the hour.

The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president spelled out his stand when asked by reporters here on Friday to comment on the statement of Ms. Mamata Banerjee that he had extended moral support to her.

Mr. Naidu said there was no need to comment on the question of imposing President's Rule in West Bengal since the issue did not arise at his meeting with Ms. Banerjee. However, there was no doubt that the situation in West Bengal was serious and needed to be controlled urgently.

Mr. Naidu saw no contradiction between his stand and that of Mr. S. Venugopalachari, deputy leader of the Telugu Desam Parliamentary Party, who issued a statement demanding that the violence-prone districts be declared as disturbed areas. He clarified that Mr. Chari had voiced the demand in his capacity as member of the NDA-led delegation which visited West Bengal whereas he was speaking on behalf of the TDP.

Earlier, in the Assembly, the Leader of the Opposition, Dr. Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy, wanted the TDP Government to clarify its stand on the question of invoking Article 356 in West Bengal.

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Section  : National
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