'Use Article 355 against T.N. Govt.'

JAMSHEDPUR, JULY 8. The Samajwadi Party today said it was in favour of the NDA Government exercising options under Article 355 in view of the situation in Tamil Nadu following the recent arrest of the former Chief Minister, Mr. M. Karunanidhi, and the two Union Ministers.

The Samajwadi Party will never favour imposition of Article 356 in any State but only demanded exercising options in accordance with Article 355 in view of the situation in Tamil Nadu, the general secretary of the party, Mr. Kapildeo Singh, told newspersons here.

Under the provisions of Article 355, the Central Government could send directives to a State Government following any breach of law or Constitutional impropriety. Mr. Singh, said the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Ms. Jayalalithaa's action was deplorable and smacked of revenge, which was an indication of the general political degradation in the country.

But the previous Government in the State had treated Ms. Jayalalithaa in a similar manner, he pointed out.

A challenge to Centre

Criticising the NDA Government, he said the Vajpayee Government ``failed'' to handle the Tamil Nadu situation even after the arrest of two Union Ministers. ``Though the State Government requires prior permission in arresting any Union Ministers, the NDA Government failed to take any action against the Jayalalithaa Government, which apparently posed a challenge to the Centre over the issue,'' he said.

Criticising the economic policy, the Samajwadi Party general secretary said the `wrong policies' of the government had pushed the country back in several fields with rise in unemployment and decrease in the per capita production of foodgrains. The criminalisation of politics would lead the country towards political anarchy.

About the formation of a third front, Mr. Singh said his party would not be part to the front if the Congress or the BJP was involved in it. Both these parties were communal parties, he alleged. The third front would function smoothly only when the ideological differences among partners were minimum.

Stating that the party president, Mr. Mulayam Singh Yadav could ably lead the third front to success, Mr. Singh said the prospect of third front would largely depend on the performance of his party in the coming Assembly election in Uttar Pradesh.

On the VHP's threat on the Ayodhya issue, he said the problem could either be solved by honouring the court order or leaders of both communities should find an amicable solution through a dialogue.

Claiming that his party was likely to form the new government in Uttar Pradesh after the Assembly poll, he said though the Samajwadi Party was in a position to fight the elections alone, it would contest in alliance with supporting parties.

- PTI

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