Chhattisgarh assembly session starts, Cong seeks resignation of CM, Dy CM over Balodabazar violence

Raipur, Jul 22 (PTI) On the first day of the monsoon session of the Chhattisgarh assembly on Monday, the opposition Congress sought the resignation of Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai and Deputy CM Vijay Sharma for the violence in Balodabazar city last month claiming the incident pointed to a law and order breakdown in the state.

The session began on a stormy note after a Congress legislator moved an adjournment motion notice on the issue, which was disallowed by the speaker. Shouting slogans against the government, the opposition members trooped into the Well of the House and were automatically suspended.

After a 'jaitkham' or 'victory pillar', a sacred symbol worshipped by the Satnamis, was vandalised near the holy Amar Gufa at Giroudpuri Dham in the Balodabazar-Bhatapara district in the intervening night of May 15 and 16, the community held a protest on June 10.

The protest descended into violence, resulting in a mob setting fire to a government building housing offices of the collector and superintendent of police along with more than 150 vehicles.

Raising the issue during Zero Hour, former chief minister and senior Congress MLA Bhupesh Baghel said the violence and arson was a result of the poor law and order situation and intelligence failure as well as the administration not taking the vandalising of the victory pillar seriously.

Other Congress legislators supported him on the issue and demanded discussion, while BJP MLAs opposed it claiming a judicial probe into the incident was already underway and, therefore, discussing it would be against the rules of the House.

Assembly Speaker Raman Singh said the opposition members can keep their issue without mentioning the points being covered under the judicial probe.

Baghel claimed police personnel were seen running away to save their lives during the protest, and property worth crores and very important documents in the district office, SP office and many other offices were destroyed, which had tarnished the image of peace-loving Chhattisgarh.

Congress MLAs, who alleged its party workers and innocent people were being arrested in connection with the violence, demanded the resignation of CM Sai and Deputy CM Sharma.

In his reply, Sharma said it was incorrect to say the government had failed in handling the situation in Balodabazar.

On June 8, Satnami community members had informed the district administration that they wanted to organise a peaceful demonstration and 500 police personnel were deployed when some 8,000 people took out a rally on June 10, he said.

However, anti-social elements broke the barricades and indulged in rioting and arson, Sharma told the House, adding 14 cases were registered at various police stations and several people arrested.

The collector and SP were also suspended in connection with the violence, Sharma said.

After Sharma's reply, the speaker disallowed the adjournment motion notice, though Congress MLAs continued demanding a discussion on the adjournment motion notice.

The speaker adjourned the House for lunch till 3pm and when it resumed, Congress legislators, demanding a discussion on the issue, trooped into the Well of the House and were automatically suspended.

The speaker then announced the suspension of opposition members and took up listed business for the day.

The opposition members remained in the Well of the House shouting slogans against the state's BJP government and demanding the resignations of CM Sai and Deputy CM Sharma.

After the listed business of the day was completed, speaker Raman Singh adjourned the House for the day. PTI TKP BNM