Central team to visit violence-hit districts in W Bengal: PC

New Delhi, Dec 1 (PTI) The Indian government team
visiting West Bengal in east India to assess the law and order
situation will also visit a few districts which have witnessed
clashes between workers of the Trinamool Congress and the
ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M).
"The Chief Secretary of West Bengal has indicated that
they (Central team) can visit a few districts. They will draw
up their plans accordingly," Indian Home Minister P
Chidambaram told reporters at a press conference here.
He reiterated that the visit of the Central team was
"strictly in accordance with the Constitution" and the senior
officials were in West Bengal only to help the state
government maintain law and order and put an end to political
clashes.
When pointed out that the visit of the Central team was
criticised strongly in Parliament, Chidambaram shot back
saying that members in both the Lok Sabha (Lower House of
Indian Parliament) and the Rajya Sabha (Upper House of Indian
Parliament) were satisfied by his reply.
"They have been told to hold discussions with the senior
officers and Chief Secretary in Kolkata," he said.
Chidambaram had told Parliament yesterday that there was
no need to view the Central team's visit through the "prism of
Article 356" under which the President's Rule can be imposed
in a state.
"The move to send the central team is entirely
non-confrontational," he had said. PTI SKU