Congress to Launch Statewide Protests on August 21 Against MLA Devendra Yadav’s Arrest

Raipur
In a significant escalation of political tensions, the Chhattisgarh Congress has announced a state-wide protest on August 21 to condemn the arrest of Bhilai MLA Devendra Yadav, who has been implicated in the Baloda Bazaar arson case. This decision was revealed during a joint press conference at the Congress state office in Raipur, where Chhattisgarh Pradesh Congress Committee (CPCC) President Deepak Baij, Leader of the Opposition Dr. Charan Das Mahant, and former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel addressed the media.

The Congress leaders informed that the protest demonstrations will be organized at all district headquarters across the state. Before the protests, the Congress Legislative Party will convene a crucial meeting on August 20 to finalize their strategy.

CPCC President Deepak Baij criticized the Vishnudeo Sai government, accusing it of using the arrest of opposition leaders to distract from its failures and the embarrassment the state faced due to the Baloda Bazaar incident. Baij claimed that MLA Devendra Yadav has been unjustly targeted by the BJP in a bid to tarnish the opposition’s reputation. He asserted that Yadav had neither delivered a speech nor participated in the protest at the Collector’s office during the Baloda Bazaar incident, adding that Yadav had stayed at the scene for merely five minutes before leaving. Baij argued that there is no evidence to support claims of Yadav’s involvement in any violent or illegal activities, labeling the arrest as wrongful and politically motivated.

Baij further questioned the actions of the state police, asking why no BJP leaders were served notices or interrogated. He challenged the government to reveal the names of any Congress leaders involved in the incident, assuring that the party would cooperate fully with any legitimate inquiries. Baij emphasized the need for fairness in all legal actions and criticized the BJP government for its increasingly undemocratic practices. He highlighted incidents where journalists were falsely accused by planting marijuana in their vehicles, opposition MLAs were arrested under dubious charges, and a baseless case was filed against the former Chief Minister in the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) as soon as the BJP came into power. According to Baij, the Baloda Bazaar incident saw targeted actions against members of the Satnami community and Congress supporters, who were singled out and imprisoned.

Baij reassured the public that the Congress party would not be intimidated by the BJP’s tactics, asserting that the horrifying arson incident in Baloda Bazaar was a direct result of the government’s and administration’s negligence. He argued that the situation could have been prevented if the government had heeded the Satnami community’s demand for a CBI investigation and taken timely action.

Leader of the Opposition Dr. Charan Das Mahant condemned the numerous charges brought against MLA Yadav, describing them as part of a conspiracy to frame him. Mahant affirmed that the entire Congress party stands in solidarity with Yadav to ensure his safety and challenged the police to present any evidence they claim to have. He criticized the government for its failure to conduct a fair and impartial investigation into the Baloda Bazaar incident, accusing the BJP of deliberately targeting Congress leaders.

Former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel added to the criticism, highlighting the unprecedented nature of the Baloda Bazaar incident, where for the first time in the country’s history, the offices of the Collector and SP were set on fire. He pointed out that MLA Yadav was arrested 67 days after the incident, with an overwhelming number of charges filed against him. Baghel accused the BJP of sowing discord to divert attention from its shortcomings. He questioned why the government has not initiated a CBI investigation into the incident, especially when smaller cases have warranted such probes in the past. Baghel also demanded explanations for the lack of arrests related to inflammatory speeches made after the incident, the inaction against those who damaged the Jaithkham (a religious symbol of the Satnami community), and the lack of scrutiny into the role of the district BJP president and other leaders in orchestrating the protest.

In response, Chief Minister Vishnudeo Sai dismissed the allegations of a political conspiracy, asserting that the police conducted the arrest after careful consideration and that there was no ulterior motive behind their actions.