Opposition Congress on Thursday stalled the proceedings of the Chhattisgarh Assembly over Food and Civil Supplies graft case and demanded for investigation into the matter by CBI or under supervision of a sitting judge of the Supreme Court.
The House was adjourned twice in the process while the Congress members also faced suspension for entering the Well of the House before staging dharna under the statue of Mahatma Gandhi in the premises of the Assembly.
As soon as the Question Hour bega, Congress member Bhupesh Baghel raised the issue and said the Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) could not investigate the matter. Investigation by CBI or under a judge of Supreme Court was need of the hour.
Other Congress members raised the demand simultaneously. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ajay Chandrakar raised objection and said that the matter had been discussed in the House and should not be raised again.
The BJP members also raised objection against the demand of Congress members and soon the House echoed with counter slogans by the Opposition as well as the Treasury bench. Speaker Gaurishankar Agrawal intervened and said that he had not received any information in this regard. Discussion had already been done over the issues.
He requested the members not to disturb the proceedings of the House. Baghel again said that when ACB was not able to investigate the matter it should be investigated by CBI or under the supervision of a Supreme Court judge. Chandrakar again took objection and once again members of both the sides resorted to slogans forcing the Speaker to adjourn the House for one hour.
As soon as the House reassembled at 12pm, Congress member Satyanarayan Sharma said that the FCS graft case is being highlighted by media and yet the issue remains unresolved. Revenue Minister Prem Prakash Pandey said that there is no notice in this regard and newspaper reports are not the affairs of the House.
Baghel again raised the demand to which Pandey said that ACB and EOW are free to investigate to any extent. leader of Opposition TS Singhdeo also reiterated the demand but Speaker refused to hold discussion and started the business of the House with Call Attention motion.
Congress members shouted slogans and the House was adjourned at 12.06 pm for half an hour. The House reassembled at 1.54 pm and once again Satyanarayan Sharma and Bhupesh Baghel demanded that Treasury Bench should announce for investigation into the matter as ACB can’t investigate into the matter against Minister and Chief Minister.
Pandey took objection to this and said that the CBI is under the Prime Minister but yet it has summoned the then Prime Minister.Baghel said that the ACB chief has said that ACB has limitations and it can investigate within the limits.
Chandrakar once again raised objection against the issue being raised in the House against rules. The Congress members again resorted to slogans and entered into the Well of the House. They continued with the slogans and were eventually suspended. The Congress members were asked to leave the House and they finally staged dharna under the statue of Mahatma Gandhi.