Kolkata, Nov 30 (IANS) Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee Monday said the central government’s decision to send an expert team to West Bengal to asses the law and order situation was tantamount to warning the state government under Article 355.
“The decision to send a central team to assess the situation in West Bengal is an indication of non-confidence of the union government on the state’s law and order mechanism. If the situation was normal, then why did the union home ministry decide to send the team to West Bengal?” she asked, when speaking to reporters here.

“Sending a central team to review the law and order situation is something like implementing Article 355 of the constitution and to tell the state government to perform its duties,” Banerjee told reporters here.

Welcoming Union Home Minister’s P. Chidambaram’s decision to send the team, she said: “It’s a very positive step. And the decision to send the team to West Bengal is a victory for the people of the state.”

Reiterating her demand for president’s rule, she said no one wanted to misuse Article 356.

“We want Article 356 to be implemented to prevent the spiralling violence in the state.”

“If everything was fine and the law and order machinery had run constitutionally, we would not have demanded for President’s rule,” she stressed.