Thirty-four Congress legislators who had walked out out from the Assembly and going to gherao the Chief Minister’s residence were on Wednesday arrested as a precautionary measure to maintain peace.
“Congress legislators were taking out a foot march and heading towards Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s residence. As they were moving in a group in prohibited area, they were arrested for violating prohibitory orders,” Superintendent of Police (South) Siddharth Bahuguna told.
He said Congress legislators including leader of the Opposition, Ajay Singh and four women legislators were taken to the Central Jail. Five others including Jeetu Patwari, who had managed to escape the arrest, were later stopped near Polytechnic Square.
The legislators left the assembly premises on foot, while some in their vehicles. They were stopped by police near Patrakar Bhawan tri-section. The police boarded them in a bus, while some of them including leader of the Opposition Ajay Singh remained outside and continued raising slogans against the Government.
Thereafter, the legislators inside the bus said they should be allowed to go the State assembly.
When they were freed, they reached within the barricades and sat on dharna. However, the dharna could last only for few minutes and later, Ajay Singh asked the police officials that they want to court arrest.
They were arrested and taken to jail premises in a bus.
Earlier, Congress legislators created a pandemonium in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly demanding a discussion on the problems of people in the submergence zone of the Sardar Sarovar Project.
Amid ruckus, Speaker Sitasaran Sharma carried out the legislative business and adjourned the House sine die. later, Congress members staged a sit-in outside the gate of the House and took out a foot march towards the Chief Minster’s residence.