Raipur
The opposition Congress stirred up chaos in the Assembly, accusing the state government of neglecting the safety of Baiga tribes, adopted sons of the President of India. They demanded the resignation of the state home minister and called for a CBI probe into the murder of three members of a Baiga family in the Pandariya assembly constituency of Chhattisgarh. This uproar led to the adjournment of the house proceedings twice during the zero hour. All opposition members were automatically suspended after they stormed the Well of the Assembly, chanting slogans against the state government and staging a sit-in. Later, their suspension was revoked by the Speaker.
During the Zero Hour, Congress legislators created a ruckus in the assembly, chanting slogans such as ‘Protect the President’s Adopted Sons’ and ‘Home Minister Resign.’ They sat on a dharna in the well of the assembly, chanting bhajans.
Subsequently, opposition members left the assembly amidst sloganeering, sparking a heated debate between the ruling and opposition parties. Both sides continued their sloganeering until the session resumed after a five-minute adjournment.
Amidst the commotion, Pandariya BJP legislator Bhavna Bohra raised an objection, causing further uproar. Congress legislator Harshita Swami Baghel accused Bohra of protecting the murderers, leading to objections from ruling party legislators who demanded an apology.
Speaker Raman Singh intervened, directing the deletion of the personal accusation and leaving it to the discretion of the Congress MLA whether she wished to apologize or not. The parliamentary affairs minister remarked that it’s a lesson for newcomers not to engage in such behavior. After a debate between the ruling and opposition parties, legislator Harshita Baghel withdrew her statement.
The case of the deaths of three Baiga tribals from Nagadbara in Kukdur block of Pandariya Assembly constituency in Kawardha district was initially raised by Congress MLA and former chief minister Bhupesh Baghel during the zero hour. Congress leaders claimed that police investigation revealed the murder of all three individuals, including a minor, on January 14, 2023, nearly one and a half months prior. Initially registered as accidental deaths, Congress alleged that the state government attempted to cover up the matter, asserting that the killings were due to land disputes.
Despite facing suspension, Congress legislators continued their protest inside the well for quite some time, staging a sit-in protest displaying placards and slogans. They later staged a demonstration in front of the Gandhi statue on the assembly premises, demanding a CBI inquiry and alleging protection being given to the accused in the case of the Baiga tribals’ deaths.
Leader of Opposition Charnadas Mahant accused the government of trying to portray the murders as suicides and proposed a halt to the proceedings in the Assembly, which was rejected. Former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel emphasized the need for a judicial inquiry, alleging political pressure and a conspiracy behind the incident.
