RAIPUR: The Chhattisgarh Vidhan Sabha on Friday witnessed a fiery debate on a no-confidence motion, with the BJP presenting 109 charges against the four-and-a-half-year-old Bhupesh Baghel government and mounted a scathing attack on the government's alleged misgovernance and failures.
Initiating the debate on the final day of the monsoon session, which also marks the last session before the November assembly elections, senior BJP MLA Brijmohan Agrawal accused the ruling Congress of betraying the state's youth to such an extent that they resorted to public nudity as a form of protest.
"The no-confidence motion against the state government is essential because the state has witnessed the murder of democracy, and this government has turned a blind eye and a deaf ear to the people's plight. Corruption is rampant, and this government behaves like a dictator," asserted Agrawal.
Agrawal brought attention to the issue of fake caste certificates in government job appointments, highlighting how youths from ST/SC communities had taken to the streets, resorting to nude protests to demand action. He even likened the present government's rule to the oppressive era of British colonization, saying, "The government is like that of black Britishers."
Amid the noisy scenes in the House, Agrawal criticized the government, accusing it of being deaf and dumb to the state's problems, and of indulging in corruption and dictatorship. The BJP member also raised concerns about a liquor scam, corruption in government job appointments, and mismanagement of District Mineral Foundation (DMF) funds.
Referring to recent political developments and cabinet minister reshuffling, Agrawal claimed that the government only focused on self-welfare, lacking trust in its ministers and vice versa. He accused the government of creating a tug of war among tribal leaders and prioritizing money collection through various means.
Senior ministers, Ravindra Choubey, Mohan Markam, and other MLAs objected to Agrawal's allegations, leading to further noisy scenes in the House.
Agrawal highlighted unfulfilled promises made by the Chief Minister, including universal healthcare, Gandhi Sewagram, and land patta for urban landless. He also criticized the CM for rebuking a youth during a meet and greet programme.
Alleging a Rs 2000 crore liquor scam, Agrawal stated that the excessive levies on liquor caused suffering to both drinkers and non-drinkers in the state. He also pointed out the high cost of cement, attributing it to the government's policies.
Drawing attention to drowning incidents in rivers, particularly the recent tragedy in Bilaspur where three girls lost their lives, Agrawal accused the sand mafia of tearing apart rivers, leading to such incidents. Agrawal ended his speech by questioning the state government, referring to it as a 'Sarkar of Circus'.
Responding to the charges, senior Congress minister Ravindra Choubey dismissed most of the points raised by Agrawal, stating that only one charge, regarding the liquor scam, was worth consideration.
Choubey took a swipe at the BJP, mentioning their support for nudity in the context of the Manipur incident in which women were paraded naked and sexually assaulted by a mob.
He added, "The points raised were boring, and the opposition failed to effectively challenge the Congress government."
The debate is ongoing, and it is expected to continue late into the evening, with Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel set to reply to the charges.
