Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi (SP)
New Delhi, Oct 28: An official in the union home ministry has clarified, that section 355 of the constitution had never been invoked in respect of the strife torn Orissa and Karnataka states. Kandhamal district of Orissa had witnessed heinous crimes and large scale communal violence, while in Karnataka, sporadic incidents of attacks on churches and prayer centres had occured after some churches and prayer centres were targetted by miscreants on the night of Sunday September 14.
The home ministry, other than instructing these states to take stringent measures against the perpetrators of communal violence, has done nothing, it now transpires. The official concerned said, that the home ministry so far, has issued sevel general suggestions and instructions towards controlling the situation, to these states.
He has clarified, that the government never invoked section 355 of the constitution, under which the union government is empowered to give advance warning to the erring states, of its intention to enforce President's rule there. He however, confirmed that the central government issued seven suggestions and instructions at various levels, between August 25 and October 10.