BJP members entered into well of the House raising paddy procurement issue during Question Hour on the fifth day of budget session of Chhattisgarh state assembly on Friday, which led to their suspension and subsequent adjournment.

BJP legislator Shivratan Sharma sought districtwise details of total number of registered farmers, total quantity of paddy procured based on crop area and remaining number of farmers.

Food Minister Amarjeet Bhagat said 19,55,465 farmers have been registered, as on February 6, the number of farmers who could not sell their produce stood at 3,08,145. The number of farmers having sold their total produce as per their individual registered crop area is 33146. Minister further claimed paddy procurement has been done from 18.21 lakh farmers at minimum support price. Agriculture minister Ravindra Choubey added there is no need for farmers to sell their total produce as per registered area. Sharma said based on number of registered farmers and area of 25.28 lakh hectares, the total paddy procurement at the rate of 15 quintal per acre, should have been around 105 lakh MT instead of government set target of 85 lakh MT. BJP members pointed out they had been raising the issue but government had been denying it, but now the truth has been reflected in answer given in written by minister.

There was a din in the House over minister’s reply, as he could not give specific answer when BJP members Ajay Chandrakar, Leader of Opposition Dharamlal Kaushik sought details till last day of procurement. With Congress MLAs also starting sloganeering, BJP MLAs entered the well of the House, which led to their automatic suspension. Speaker then adjourned the House for 5 minutes.