Din in Chhattisgarh assembly over opium cultivation on BJP leader's farm; 29 Cong MLAs suspended

Raipur, Mar 9 (PTI) Opposition Congress on Monday created uproar in the Chhattisgarh assembly over alleged illegal cultivation of opium on a local BJP functionary's farm in Durg district, claiming he enjoyed protection from the ruling party.

Twenty-nine Congress MLAs were suspended after they trooped into the well of the House when the chair disallowed their demand for a discussion on the issue through an adjournment motion notice.

Amid the noisy scenes, the House was briefly adjourned. After the proceedings resumed, the chair revoked the suspension of the Congress MLAs.

Earlier, raising the matter during Zero Hour, Leader of Opposition Charan Das Mahant alleged that opium cultivation was taking place about 50 km from the state capital Raipur.

He claimed that a BJP leader, identified as Vinayak Tamrakar, was involved in the illegal farming.

Tamrakar, who has now been suspended from the party, has been named in the FIR, he said.

He claimed that there appeared to be administrative collusion in the case, and accused the government of wanting to make Chhattisgarh, which is known "dhan ka katora" (rice bowl) of the country, "afeem ka katora" (opium bowl) by 2047.

Joining him, former chief minister Bhupesh Baghel claimed the district collector had earlier identified the field as belonging to Tamrakar, but the police had not made him the main accused in the FIR.

Instead, a man from Rajasthan who worked at the farm was listed as the prime accused, followed by another farm worker, while Tamrakar was named third in the FIR, he said. The FIR lacked key details such as the exact landholding and ownership of the property, Baghel claimed.

Congress members demanded a discussion by moving an adjournment motion notice in the House.

The Congress claimed that opium was allegedly cultivated on about 10 acres inside a 110-acre fenced farmhouse located near the Shivnath river at Samoda village under Pulgaon police station limits in Durg district.

The party alleged that maize and wheat crops had been planted around the opium fields to conceal the illegal activity.

The accused was a BJP office-bearer and had brought trained farmers from Rajasthan to assist in the cultivation, the Opposition party further alleged.

It also claimed that CCTV cameras had been installed and bouncers deployed to restrict entry into the farmhouse.

Replying to the issue, Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma, who also holds the Home portfolio, said Durg police received a tip-off on March 6 about illegal opium cultivation at a farmhouse.

Acting on the information, a joint team comprising police, officials from the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL), excise and revenue departments conducted a raid at the site, he said.

Due to darkness, the site was secured on the first day and the seizure operation resumed on March 7 in the presence of a chief judicial magistrate. Three accused -- Vikas Vishnoi, Manish Thakur and Vinayak Tamrakar -- were arrested and produced before a court the same day, Sharma said.

A case has been registered at Pulgaon police station under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. Authorities seized opium plants weighing 62,424.4 kg, valued at about Rs 7.8 crore, he informed.

Teams have also been sent to Jodhpur in Rajasthan to trace two absconding accused, Sharma added.

The deputy CM further said that between 2024 and February 2026, the state registered 2,947 cases related to narcotics trafficking and arrested 5,177 accused.

During this period, authorities seized large quantities of drugs, including ganja, brown sugar, heroin, charas, cocaine and other narcotics, he told the House.

Sharma said the government has constituted task forces in all districts to curb drug trafficking and approved 100 new posts for anti-narcotics task force units in 10 districts.

Financial investigations are also being conducted in NDPS cases, and properties valued at Rs 16.7 crore belonging to 20 accused have been attached, he added.

After Sharma's reply, the chair disallowed the adjournment motion.

Dissatisfied, Congress members began sloganeering and entered the well of the House, leading to their automatic suspension.

The chair announced the suspension of 29 Congress members, following which they sat on the floor of the House and continued shouting slogans against the government.

Amid the din, the House was adjourned for five minutes.

Notably, the ruling BJP on March 7 suspended its Kisan Morcha functionary Tamrakar from the party for tarnishing its image after the opium cultivation matter came to light. PTI TKP GK