NEW DELHI, July 9 ? The threat of the Centre clamping President?s rule in Arunachal Pradesh continued to haunt the BJP, as the Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil today declined to spell out the Union Government?s stand on the political crisis in the north-eastern State. The turmoil in Arunachal Pradesh that is fast taking the shape of a major constitutional crisis rocked both the Houses of Parliament here today, with a belligerent BJP seeking an assurance from the Union Government that President?s rule under Article 356 of the Constitution would not be imposed in the State allowing Gegong Apang Government to function as a caretaker Government. Union Government, however, refused to take the bait with Sri Patil asserting that Centre would take appropriate action at an appropriate time.
Even as a puzzled Centre and an equally curious Congress Party were analysing the fast developing situation in the State, Governor VC Pandey wrote a third letter to the President stating that he had further reviewed the situation in the light of representations submitted by various groups of the Legislative Assembly and also the constitutional aspects of the issue. Governor Pandey clarified to the Centre that the dissolution of the Legislative Assembly already notified was final and no review is permissible under the Constitution. He also informed the Centre that the law-and-order situation was normal as on date and there was no constitutional breakdown and therefore, his earlier recommendation to invoke Article 356 (1) C may be ignored.
But the series of three letters written by the Governor to the Centre has further deepened the mystery as eager Members belonging to both the Congress and BJP questioned the Union Home Minister under what circumstances Sri Pandey wrote the second letter and what kind of duress he was under and why was the police not called in to Governor?s Lodge when MLAs had gheraoed him. The Union Home Minister further added to the confusion when in reply to a Member?s question in the Rajya Sabha, he admitted that the Governor?s ADC was drunk when the midnight drama was going on in Arunachal Pradesh. Sri Patil said he had reports to that effect.
Meanwhile, the AICC is yet to take a final view on the deepening crisis in the State and PCC president and former Chief Minister Mukut Mithi has been summoned to Delhi for consultation. A former MP of the State Rajkumar Wancha told this newspaper that Congress would first ascertain under what circumstances the Governor gave his recommendations and what was the arithmetic of the House when it was dissolved. Saying that the Party was closely watching the developments, he said that Congress would also take note of the mood of the legislators, who were totally opposed to dissolution of the House. Chief Minister Apang should resign on moral ground, Sri Wancha said.
On the other hand, the BJP MP of the State Khiren Rijiju said that the Party has decided that if President?s rule was imposed in the State then Parliament would not be allowed to function. An agitated BJP national president, M.Venkaiah Naidu said in Rajya Sabha that Centre should ignore that part of the recommendation that was signed under duress by the Governor. He alleged that it was the Congress Members and those who were dropped who gheraoed the Governor and forced him to sign a letter, demanding that those responsible should be dealt with sternly.
But the Union Home Minister refused to buy the argument clarifying that according to reports furnished by the State Government, 25 MLAs who gheraoed the Governor belonged to Congress (13), BJP (10) and Independents (two). However, he added that Centre was not yet clear about why police was not called in to Raj Bhavan though FIRs were lodged subsequently. ?This should not have happened in Governor?s Lodge,? he remarked. He also admitted that media was present when the drama was unfolding in the Raj Bhavan. It is difficult to say how the Governor was pressurised and who drafted the letter and under what condition it was signed, Sri Patil told the Rajya Sabha.
Earlier, both the Congress and BJP traded charges accusing each other of wrongdoing. Former Union Law Minister, Arun Jaitley said that after the recommendation of July 6 for dissolution of the House, the only action left was for the Election Commission to take steps to hold elections. He also questioned as to how the President?s rule could be imposed under Article 356 when the Assembly was already dissolved under Article 174. Ambika Soni joining the debate wondered how could the Governor keep changing his stand by the hour. In 24 hours he wrote three letters. She also questioned reports of the MLAs holding the Governor to ransom when he himself gave an appointment to them. How can it be possible in front of the entire media including the electronic media? What kind of duress was he under? She wanted to know.