Chhattisgarh Congress protests over attack on activist

Members of Chhattisgarh’s main opposition party Congress on Tuesday created ruckus in the state legislative assembly over the attack on environment activist Ramesh Agrawal in Raigarh district.

The Congress members later staged a walked out from the House alleging that the state government was playing at the hands of the industrialists.

Agrawal, a known figure in environment protection campaign in the district, emerging as the industrial city of the state, had been vocal against the steel and coal industries working in the area. He was preparing for a public hearing to be held in Gharghora for a coal mines.

Two unidentified persons walked to his shop in Raigarh and shot at him. The bullets pierced through his legs and Agrawal was seriously wounded in the attack. He has been shifted to Raipur where his condition is reported to be stable.

 

The opposition Congress grilled the state government on the issue and charged that the industrialists were virtually running the government.

“It is sure that Agrawal was shot at on the direction and behest of corporate houses,” Leader of Opposition Ravindra Choubey said while moving an adjournment motion on the issue on Tuesday.

The Speaker, Dharamlal Kaushik disallowed the motion. The Congress members started raising slogan against the state government forcing Speaker to adjourn the House for 10 minutes.

When the House reassembled, Congress members created chaos and later staged a walkout from the House.