The Congress party in Chhattisgarh has called for a State-wide bandh on Wednesday to protest police cane-charge on the party workers in their bid to gherao Chhattisgarh Assembly a day earlier. The party although stated that Emergency services and educational institutions have been kept free from State-wide bandh.
State Congress President Bhupesh Baghel and Congress legislative Party (ClP) leader TS Singhdeo in a joint statement released on Tuesday said that Congress party had organised ‘Kisan Majdoor Nyay Yatra’ while demanding support price of paddy to be hiked to Rs2,100 with bonus of Rs300 per quintal, in protest of hike in agricultural loan rates, hike in power tariff, CBI investigation into Food Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection department case, withdrawal of land-Acquisition bill, opening of NMDC headquarters in Bastar along with others demands from March 11 to 16.
At the conclusion of party’s programme on March 16, Congress workers were peacefully trying to move towards the Chhattisgarh Assembly. However, the police personnel by use of force tried to suppress the movement in which 60 people including party workers were injured, they claimed. “We call upon all social and business organisations and people of Chhattisgarh to support the bandh,” they stated.