ONCE again, West Bengal is occupying the centre stage -- for the same and wrong reasons. One, its Chief Minister, Ms. Mamata Banerjee, has made an anti-constitutional announcement that her State would not honour the centrally-passed Waqf (Amendment) Bill; and two, the State is witnessing some of the worst riots in its Muslim-majority Murshidabad district -- so much so that countless numbers of people have fled to the neighbouring Malda area to escape the mob atrocities particularly in the absence of any protection from official agencies. In the wake of these developments, the demand for President’s Rule in West Bengal has come up strongly. Considering the overall situation in the State, right time appears to have come for the Centre to take tough action without any political soft-pedalling -- which may mean imposition of central rule so that normalcy can be restored there. Unfortunately, the West Bengal Government has not made any sincere attempts to bring the Murshidabad situation under control.

 

An impression has gained ground that West Bengal Police, too, are acting like by-standers as rioters go berserk. Hence the exodus to safer places by countless numbers of people -- as per official acknowledgement. The administration is now trying to arrange for facilities such as shelter and food for the people fleeing Murshidabad. The Murshidabad riots have stemmed from violent protests against the new Waqf law recently passed by Parliament. These riots are believed to have been triggered by Chief Minister Ms. Mamata Banerjee’s adamant statement that her State Government would not follow the new Waqf law -- in direct confrontation with the Centre. No State has any such right to declare a central law ineffective in its jurisdiction. Yet, as has been her wont, Ms. Banerjee has followed her own old practice to defy the Centre. She has done this earlier on a couple of occasions and has taken a stand against the Centre much in contravention of the principles of cooperative federalism.

 

The new Waqf law has been passed by Parliament after a due process and all States are bound by its norm. Yet, Ms. Banerjee has stressed that her State would defy the new law. In all likelihood, some other Opposition-ruled States, too, may follow the trend and create a new national issue. During the last legislative elections, West Bengal had seen terrible riots during which goon-gangs had assaulted those who were thought to have voted against Ms. Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress (TMC) candidates. So severe those riots were that countless thousands of people had fled to neighbouring States for safety. That time, too, the demand for President’s Rule had come up strongly. The Centre, however, did not find the situation fit for the central rule -- which many felt was strange in every sense of the term. That time, Mr. Jagdeep Dhankhar, then West Bengal Governor (and now Vice President), had recommended strong steps against the Mamata Banerjee Government.

 

This time also, West Bengal Governor Mr. C.V. Ananda Bose has written a detailed account of the riots, again reportedly recommending strong action. Against the background of reality, the Centre needs to take a clear view about the happenings in West Bengal and not hesitate in taking tough action -- which may include imposition of President’s Rule. Non-partisan observers of national politics feel that President’s Rule would serve more purpose than one -- far beyond the narrow political goals. It would be in the best interest of West Bengal and its people that the Centre impose President’s Rule on the State without much political ado and without delay. Such an action would send a larger political message to the whole country and many more embarrassments in future could be avoided. Of course, everything depends on the Centre’s perception.