34 Congress MLAs Temporarily Suspended in Chhattisgarh Assembly Over Allegations of Investigative Agency Misuse

Raipur: The Chhattisgarh legislative assembly witnessed dramatic scenes on Wednesday as Congress legislators created an uproar over alleged misuse of central and state investigative agencies against opposition parties.

Congress members demanded a discussion on the matter through an adjournment motion, claiming that probe agencies were being weaponized to suppress opposition voices.

When the Speaker rejected their demand, Congress MLAs stormed into the well of the House in protest, resulting in the suspension of 34 opposition legislators—though the Speaker later revoked the suspensions after a brief period.

During zero hour, former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, a senior Congress MLA, alleged that investigative agencies were being systematically used to "strangulate the Opposition." He claimed the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) was preparing witness statements in its office beforehand and later presenting them as genuine court documents during investigations.

"It is very unfortunate. Even witnesses are being intimidated," Baghel stated during his address.

Baghel referenced his son Chaitanya Baghel's arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in July related to an alleged liquor scam, suggesting the timing coincided with Congress protests against tree-cutting for a coal mine in Tamnar, Raigarh district.

He also mentioned ED actions against Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in the National Herald case, characterizing these moves as deliberate attempts to silence opposition voices.

BJP MLA Ajay Chandrakar objected to Baghel's statements, arguing that actions by central agencies were outside the purview of state assembly discussions.

Speaker Raman Singh informed the House that he had already rejected the adjournment motion notice in his chamber.

Baghel responded by expressing concerns about democratic principles, questioning how democracy could function when opposition parties face intimidation. While acknowledging the Chair's ruling, he challenged the treasury benches to permit a discussion if they truly believed in democratic values.

When their demand remained unmet, Congress members began chanting "Satyamev Jayate" (Truth Alone Triumphs), alleging a coordinated effort to defame their party through investigative agencies. BJP members countered with "Vande Mataram" chants.

The protest escalated as Congress legislators entered the well of the House, resulting in their automatic suspension under assembly rules. Speaker Singh announced the suspension of 34 Congress MLAs, who then walked out, though their suspensions were revoked shortly afterward.

Earlier that day, the question hour had been completely disrupted when Congress members entered wearing clothes with "Satyamev Jayate" posters, protesting what they described as misuse of investigative agencies.

BJP MLA Chandrakar questioned the propriety of entering the House wearing such posters. Speaker Singh ruled that using posters and banners inside the House violated parliamentary norms and requested Congress members to remove them before participating in proceedings.

When Congress members refused to comply, the Speaker was forced to adjourn the House three times. Later, he criticized the disruption of question hour as inappropriate, emphasizing that this session addresses important public issues.

Several alleged scams from the previous Congress government's tenure in Chhattisgarh are currently under investigation by central and state agencies, including matters related to liquor distribution, coal allocation, CGPSC recruitment, rice milling, and District Mineral Foundation (DMF) funds.