New Delhi, May 19 (IANS): A plea has been moved in the Supreme Court urging it to issue directions to the Union government to impose President's rule in West Bengal.

In his plea, advocate Ghanshyam Upadhyay pleaded for setting up a Special Investigation Team to probe killings of the BJP supporters after May 2. "The Petitioner also prays for direction to the Respondent No.4 to invoke Article 355 of the Constitution of India for the State of West Bengal and advise the President to issue a Proclamation under Article 356(1) of the Constitution of India for the State of West Bengal", said the plea, seeking imposition of President' rule in West Bengal.

The plea said media reports have shown that people belonging to TMC resorted to killing of certain BJP workers and their families and completely destroying their properties by putting the same on fire and in the process, and about 16 BJP workers were allegedly killed by the supporters of TMC. "Leading news channels of the country have shown on their channels the Governor expressing his utter shock on the failure of state government and state law enforcing agencies in protecting the lives and properties of a particular class of people and on the contrary, they and their families being killed by the people of ruling political party merely because they belong to BJP and /or merely because they in 2021 election to the State Legislature left the TMC and joined the BJP", said the plea.

The plea argued that there was abdication of responsibility by the state government in protecting the lives and properties of the people, and more particularly those who have voted for the rival party in the 2021 elections. The plea contended that there is growing tendency by certain political parties to impose party dictatorship after coming to power that needs to be nipped in the bud.