Raipur, April 21 – The political atmosphere in Chhattisgarh intensified on Monday as the Congress party staged a massive protest in Raipur, marching towards the Chief Minister’s residence in response to the alleged surge in crime across the state. Led by Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) Chief Deepak Baij, thousands of party workers from all corners of the state gathered in a show of strength against the BJP-led state government.
The protest began with a large gathering outside the Raipur Municipal Corporation, where senior Congress leaders severely criticized the government for what they described as an alarming rise in crimes, particularly violence against women, theft, and murder, during the past one-and-a-half years. Notably absent were prominent Congress figures such as Sachin Pilot, Bhupesh Baghel, and T.S. Singhdeo.
Addressing the crowd, Baij said, “This is a historic day. No heat, no obstacle will stop us from fighting for our people. A girl from Class 9 was raped and became pregnant at Atmanand School, and the administration didn’t even know. A rape is happening every three hours. This government wants to turn Chhattisgarh into UP and Bihar—but Congress will not allow that.”
Baij didn’t mince words, calling CM Vishnu Deo Sai a “predator” and slammed the home minister’s focus on West Bengal, stating, “If Bengal is your priority, go and take a post there.”
He also criticized tribal outreach by BJP leaders, remarking, “Those who don’t even identify as Adivasis are speaking on tribal issues in Bastar. What do they know of tribal struggles?”
Charan Das Mahant, Leader of Opposition, revealed that 3,330 rape cases have been recorded in the last 18 months, blaming the government’s alcohol and drug policies. “This isn’t just a protest; we’re here to uproot the entire cabinet,” he declared.
Former PCC Chief Dhanendra Sahu echoed the sentiment: “This so-called island of peace has become a crime capital. If this is Vishnu’s governance, we reject it.”
MLA Umesh Patel cited administrative collapse: “An SDM was chased by a mob in Balodabazar; in Balrampur, women assaulted a female police officer. People have lost faith in this regime.”
Phulo Devi Netam added, “Girls are no longer safe. We’re here to wake up this sleeping government.”
As the march proceeded, police erected triple-layer security, but Congress workers managed to break through two barricades and clashed with police near OCM Chowk. Several protestors reportedly fainted in the 42-degree heat, and scuffles were witnessed as police attempted to contain the crowd. Protestors also accused police of brutality and misbehavior, particularly towards female participants.
In response, the BJP hit back hard, branding the protest as a “protest by criminals against crime.”
BJP General Secretary Sanjay Srivastava claimed that Congress leaders themselves were complicit in many crimes: “In 8 out of 10 cases, the accused are Congress-linked. From Surajpur to Narayanpur, their names keep appearing.”
Srivastava cited incidents allegedly involving Congress leaders, including:
- Kuldeep Sahu (Surajpur rape case)
- Devendra Yadav (Baloda Bazar incident)
- Uttari Jangde (provocative speeches)
- Kashinath Ratre (rape under PM Awas Yojana pretext)
- Mohammad Akbar (linked to Balod suicide case)
- Congress involvement in BJP leader Ratan Dubey’s murder in Narayanpur
Joining Srivastava at the press interaction were NAN Chairman Naveen Markandey, Minority Commission Chairman Amarjeet Chhabra, and BJP spokesperson Amit Sahu.
The faceoff highlights growing political tension in Chhattisgarh, with both major parties gearing up for high-stakes battles in the coming months.
