Talk of imposing President's Rule in Bengal have surfaced again after the reported massacre in Garbeta, near Midnapore.

Though Trinamul Congress chief and Union Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee has been demanding the imposition of Article 356 in Bengal for over a year, alleging deteriorating law and order and the collapse of the government machinery, she has been unable to convince the Centre.

Now Vijay Goel, the Bharatiya Janata Party MP who led a five member National Democratic Alliance team to Midnapore, feels that President's rule ahead of the assembly election is the only solution to the 'unending' violence. Soon after returning from Midnapore, he spoke to Rifat Jawaid about why he favours dislodging the Left Front government in Bengal.

What did you find in Garbeta where your ally, the Trinamul Congress, claims six of its supporters were burnt alive on Thursday night?

There was a mass killing in Choto Anguria. We also found a nexus between the local police and the CPI-M henchmen who were terrorising the Trinamul and BJP workers. This implies that the ongoing violence against people owing their allegiance to the Opposition parties is a state-sponsored phenomena. The state government has failed miserably in its duty to protect ordinary people. The police is not interested in initiating a serious investigation. Attempts are being made to cover up the entire episode.

Did you personally find evidence to prove that there was a massacre in Garbeta?

Oh yes. There was a massacre of Trinamul supporters. We saw blood stains all over the walls and in other places nearby. We also recovered arms like axes, crude bombs, bullets and used cartridges from the spot. What is interesting is the police's role. The law enforcing agencies are literally sitting idle, not willing to probe the matter at all.

How would you establish your charges that these arms belonged to CPI-M workers and the blood stains were those of Trinamul sympathisers?

The idea behind collecting this evidence is to send them for forensic study. I am sure the reports will clear all mysteries.

What is the way out then? Will you recommend President's rule in Bengal?

I feel the situation is fit for the imposition of Article 356. However, the final decision will be taken by the Union government. Our job is to submit the report to George Fernandes, who is convener of the NDA. We will submit our report within a day or two. George Fernandes will then discuss the matter with the Union home ministry.

The CPI-M says that of the 647 police stations, only three have been described as 'disturbed.' That too, the party alleges, lacks proof. How would you react to such statements?

The whole world knows about the failing law and order situation in Bengal. As many as 238 Trinamul workers have fallen victims to the CPI-M's reign of terror. The Opposition parties cannot hold their rallies or meetings peacefully. People are leaving their villages out of fear. They have been languishing in makeshift shelters for months and are unable to return to their homes because they fear CPI-M criminals would kill them once they return.

The CPI-M has now become a party of criminals, not Communists as they would have us believe. All this amounts to the infringement of the fundamental rights guaranteed in the Constitution. Concerted attempts are also being made to finish the existence of parties like the Trinamul and BJP. Ask any ordinary Bengali, s/he will tell you the only solution to the present crisis is the Centre's intervention.

Do you think imposing Article 356 in Bengal would be trouble free considering the fact that your alliance does not have a majority in the Rajya Sabha?

True, we could not do this in the past primarily because the Congress stand was never clear. Let's see how the party (Congress) reacts on this issue. It is indeed heartening to note that the BJP, the Trinamul and the Congress all have demanded President's rule for the first time. But we will still see if the Congress sticks to its stand.

Senior Congress leader Priya Ranjan Dasmunshi, who visited the village, has supported the idea of invoking Article 356 in the state. Does it bring some sort of optimism?

Dasmunshi spoke in Midnapore as a state leader and he acts as a central leader in Parliament. It's up to Sonia Gandhi to act in line with Dasmunshi's statements or take an entirely different stand.

Do you think the NDA will find it easy to convince allies like the Akali Dal and Telugu Desam who have often expressed their disenchantment about using Article 356 against any state governmment?

I don't think we will have a different opinion among NDA partners.

A People's War Group member reportedly claimed that the people killed were Naxalites and did not belong to the Trinamul as Mamata has alleged. How do you react to this new revelation?

Tomorrow, the Hurriyat leaders will say they were its members. But that doesn't mean the police should not arrest the accused. The police should first bring all the culprits to book before identifying which party the deceased belonged to.

The Rediff Interviews