NEW DELHI: The Chhattisgarh assembly witnessed uproar on Wednesday after the Congress accused the BJP-led state government of misusing central and state investigative agencies to target the Opposition, leading to the brief suspension of 34 Congress MLAs.The disruption began after the Speaker rejected an adjournment motion moved by the Congress seeking a discussion on the alleged misuse of probe agencies. Congress legislators then entered the well of the house, triggering their automatic suspension under assembly rules. The suspension was revoked within minutes, following which the Opposition walked out, reported PTI.Raising the issue during zero hour, senior Congress MLA and former chief minister Bhupesh Baghel alleged that investigative agencies were being used to “strangulate the Opposition”.“It is very unfortunate. Even witnesses are being intimidated,” Baghel said, claiming that witness statements shown as court-recorded documents were actually prepared earlier in the office of the state’s economic offences wing (EOW) and later projected as genuine during investigations.Referring to the arrest of his son Chaitanya Baghel by the enforcement directorate (ED) in July in connection with an alleged liquor scam, Baghel claimed the action followed Congress legislators’ protest against the cutting of trees for a coal mine in Tamnar in Raigarh district. He also cited ED’s action against Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in the National Herald case, alleging it was aimed at suppressing the Opposition.Senior BJP MLA Ajay Chandrakar objected to the discussion, stating that actions of central agencies could not be debated in the state assembly. Speaker Raman Singh said the adjournment motion had already been rejected in his chamber.While stating that he respected the chair’s ruling, Baghel said democracy was in danger if the Opposition was intimidated and challenged the treasury benches to allow a discussion if they had faith in democratic norms. As the demand was not accepted, Congress members raised slogans of “Satyamev Jayate”, alleging attempts to defame the party through investigative agencies. BJP members countered with chants of “Vande Mataram”.Amid sloganeering, Congress MLAs entered the well of the House and were automatically suspended. The speaker announced the suspension of 34 Congress MLAs, though it was revoked shortly thereafter.Earlier in the day, Question Hour was repeatedly disrupted after Congress members entered the House wearing clothes with “Satyamev Jayate” posters. Chandrakar questioned under which rules posters were permitted inside the House.The speaker ruled that banners and posters were against parliamentary norms and directed Congress members to remove them. As they did not comply, proceedings were adjourned multiple times.Later, the speaker termed the disruption of question hour inappropriate, saying it was meant for discussion of public issues, and asked members to reflect on their conduct.Central and state agencies are probing alleged scams linked to liquor, coal, CGPSC recruitment, rice milling and the district mineral foundation (DMF), cases that surfaced during the previous Congress government in the state.(With inputs from PTI)
