Shiv Sena says president’s rule in Uttarkhand justified

Mumbai: The Shiv Sena on Monday backed the imposition of President’s Rule in Uttarakhand, saying that former chief minister Harish Rawat had failed to handle to situation in the state.

Shiv Sena spokesperson Manisha Kayande reminded the Congress that it had imposed an emergency across the nation in 1975 when Indira Gandhi was Prime Minister, and hence, should not be crying foul.

“The Congress had imposed an emergency across the country during Indira Gandhi’s rule. Harish Rawat ji has not been able to handle the situation in Uttarkhand. Even the Congress had failed miserably to reign in its leaders, so President’s rule had to be imposed. The steps taken by the Centre is right,” Kayande told ANI.

Following the imposition of president’s rule, Rawat has called for a meeting of state Congress legislators in Dehradun today.

The Congress Party is all set to challenge the imposition of president’s rule in court.

Uttarakhand State Assembly Speaker Govind Singh Kunjwal, on Sunday disqualified nine Congress legislators who had rebelled against the Rawat-led regime in the state.

The decision to disqualify the nine legislators has reduced the strength of the 70-member assembly to 61.

After almost seven days of verbals between the Congress Party and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the political crisis in Uttarakhand, president’s rule was imposed in the state on Sunday.

The recommendation for central rule was made by the Union Cabinet at its emergency meeting last night.

The Congress had dubbed the cabinet meeting as the last phase of a drama scripted by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). (ANI)