The Chhattisgarh legislative assembly descended into chaos on Wednesday, leading to the brief suspension of 34 Congress legislators. The uproar stemmed from serious allegations by the Opposition Congress party that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government is misusing both central and state investigative agencies to target its political rivals.
Allegations of Agency Misuse Spark Chaos
The disruption began after the assembly Speaker, Raman Singh, rejected an adjournment motion moved by the Congress. The motion sought a discussion on the alleged misuse of investigative bodies. Senior Congress leader and former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel raised the issue during the zero hour, delivering a sharp critique.
Baghel claimed that agencies were being deployed to "strangulate the Opposition." He presented a grave accusation, stating that witness statements shown as official court documents were actually prepared in advance at the office of the state's Economic Offences Wing (EOW) and later presented as authentic during probes.
Connecting the actions to political vendetta, Baghel cited the arrest of his son, Chaitanya Baghel, by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in July in a purported liquor scam. He suggested this action was a consequence of Congress protests against tree felling for a coal mine in Tamnar, Raigarh. He also referenced the ED's actions against Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in the National Herald case as part of a pattern to suppress opposition voices.
Automatic Suspension and Walkout
Senior BJP MLA Ajay Chandrakar objected to the discussion, arguing that the actions of central agencies could not be debated in the state assembly. Speaker Raman Singh reiterated that the adjournment motion had already been rejected in his chamber.
Despite stating respect for the chair's ruling, Baghel warned that democracy was in danger if the opposition faced intimidation. He challenged the treasury benches to allow a discussion if they believed in democratic norms. When their demand was not met, Congress members raised slogans of "Satyamev Jayate," accusing the government of defaming the party through agencies. BJP members countered with chants of "Vande Mataram."
As the sloganeering intensified, Congress MLAs entered the well of the House. According to assembly rules, this act triggers automatic suspension. The Speaker promptly announced the suspension of 34 Congress MLAs. However, in a swift turn of events, the suspension was revoked within minutes. Following this, the entire Opposition staged a walkout from the assembly proceedings.
Earlier Disruptions and Broader Investigations
The day had begun on a disruptive note as well. During the Question Hour, Congress members entered the house wearing clothes with "Satyamev Jayate" posters. This led to repeated adjournments after Chandrakar questioned the rules permitting posters inside. The Speaker ruled that banners and posters were against parliamentary norms and asked Congress members to remove them. Their non-compliance forced multiple adjournments.
Later, the Speaker expressed disappointment at the disruption of Question Hour, stating it was meant for discussing public issues and asked members to reflect on their conduct.
The political firestorm is set against the backdrop of multiple investigations into alleged scams. Central and state agencies are currently probing cases linked to liquor, coal, CGPSC recruitment, rice milling, and the District Mineral Foundation (DMF). These cases originally surfaced during the tenure of the previous Congress government in the state.
