Sterilisation deaths issue rocks Chhattisgarh assembly

Opposition Congress Monday disrupted the proceedings in the Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly over the death of more than a dozen women after sterilisation surgery in Bilaspur district last month.

As the House assembled for the business on the first day of winter session that started today, Congress members raised the issue and demanded adjournment of business to discuss the issue of botched sterilisation surgeries. The members raised slogans demanding resignation of Chief Minister Raman Singh and expulsion of Health Minister Amar Agrawal.

"The matter is sub judice as a judicial enquiry had been instituted by the state government and hence it would not be appropriate to discuss the issue in the Legislative Assembly," Agrawal said in his statement in the House.

He added that the state government had provided all assistance to the judicial commission to submit its report within three months. "The government was committed to take necessary action after the commission submitted the report," the minister said.

Speaker Gourishankar Agrawal allowed discussion on the admissibility of the adjournment motion that was initiated by the independent legislator, Vimal Chopra. The opposition members did not participate in the discussion asserting that they would not allow any business in the House till the chief minister tendered his resignation and the health minister was expelled.