Hundreds of State Congress party workers besides senior party office-bearers including MlAs attempted to force their way in the midst of cane-charge by a heavy police contingent in their bid to encircle the Chhattisgarh Assembly on Monday. The Congress party had announced to encircle the Chhattisgarh Assembly premises in advance to protest over issues concerning of paddy support price and a slew of other demands at Nardaha turning near Semaria village. Several party workers were also injured in police cane-charge.
“In all 833 Congress members including 19 MlAs were arrested while they were trying to pass the barricades erected by the police,” Superintendent of Police (SP) Raipur, OP Pal said adding, they were released later. In protest of the force used by police party, the Congress party has now called for Chhattisgarh bandh on March 18. The Congress party workers led by State Congress chief Bhupesh Baghel, leader of Congress legislative Party (ClP) TS Singhdeo, former Union Minister Charandas Mahant and others participated in the protest.
Notably, the Congress party had launched ‘Majdoor Kisan Nyay Yatra’ on March 11 from Baloda Bazaar demanding paddy procurement at minimum support price of Rs2,100 and bonus of Rs300, CBI investigation into Food Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection Department raid and starting payments under MNREGA and similar other issues.
Addressing the rally , Baghel said that Congress would keep on struggling until all the culprits involved in Food and Civil Supplies case are sent to jail. “The kind of police arrangement that the Government has made today should have been done for Congress party’s Parivartan Yatra then Congress leaders would not have lost their lives,” he said.
The Congress workers trying to reach the State Assembly were stopped at various places in the city. However, at Semaria village the members of Youth Congress and City Congress Committee managed to break the first barricade following which police resorted to cane-charge and arrested the workers. Former Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Ajit Jogi did not participate in the protest.”