Chhattisgarh Leader of Opposition Charan Das Mahant addressing a press conference on August 18, 2024.
| Photo Credit: X/@DrCharandas
Defending its MLA Devendra Yadav — arrested for his alleged role in the Balodabazar arson incident two months ago — the Congress on Sunday (August 18, 2024) alleged the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was harassing Opposition leaders in Chhattisgarh.
Mr. Yadav was arrested on Saturday (August 17, 2024).
Addressing a press conference on Sunday (August 18, 2024), Leader of Opposition Charandas Mahant, State Congress President Deepak Baij, and former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel said that the party would organise a demonstration in all districts of the State, protesting against the arrest of Mr. Yadav, on August 21.
They also slammed the government for not probing the purported role of the BJP leaders who participated in the protest organised by Satnami community in Balodabazar on June 10, one that turned violent leading to the arson and vandalism at a government office that houses the collector and SP building in the Balodabazar-Bhatapara district.
Addressing journalists, Mr. Baghel claimed that Mr. Yadav had not committed any crime and the police had indiscriminately slapped legal provisions on him under protection from the Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai and Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma.
“There are so many sections that the investigating officer wrote as much as he could. BJP has worked to spoil social harmony. BJP is taking such action to hide its failure. The police should show evidence of the sections that they have imposed. Action has been taken against Devendra Yadav under 20 sections under wrong sections in a conspiracy. This shows the frustration of the government. I would like to tell the police that governments keep coming and going, they should not do anything that they cannot look [people] into the eyes,” he said.
The party has also called a meeting of its legislative party on Monday (August 19, 2024).
Meanwhile, holding another press conference, BJP MLA Guru Khushwant Sahab claimed that Mr. Yadav was a pawn in the game and Congress leaders were holding press conference fearing that their roles in the June 10 episode would be exposed. Mr. Khushwant Saheb, a descendant of Guru Ghasidas who founded the Satnami sect, defended the police action on Mr. Yadav claiming that the latter had insulted the sentiments of the Satnami community.
