On Wednesday, the Chhattisgarh Police used water cannons, tear gas shells, and chilli powder shells against the BJP members after the party, led by state president Arun Sao, marched towards the Chhattisgarh Assembly. BJP led the peaceful protest against the state government’s perceived inability to give affordable housing to eligible recipients of the Center’s housing program.
According to the reports, the Chhattisgarh Police increased security and erected barricades to stop the demonstrators from moving towards the Legislative Assembly while the Chhattisgarh government’s budget session was taking place at Vidhan Sabha. As the BJP leaders attempted to scale the barriers and march towards the Vidhan Sabha, clashes broke out between the demonstrators and the Chhattisgarh Police.
Several BJP leaders, including state president Sao, were arrested by the Police. The Police also used water cannons, tear gas shells, and chilli powder shells against the BJP workers. The videos of this went viral over social media. Several BJP members were also reportedly injured amid the clashes.
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लंदन में लोकतंत्र खतरे में बताने वाले राहुल जी छत्तीसगढ़ कांग्रेस पुलिस का ये #Video देखें..
शांतिपूर्वक जनता की मांगों के लिए धरना दे रहे विपक्ष पर कैसे गोले फेंके जा रहे हैं.. pic.twitter.com/OjVlYlSrZS
The protest march was led by BJP Chhattisgarh President Arun Sao, former Jharkhand CM Raghubar Das, and BJP Chhattisgarh in-charge Om Mathur. The BJP maintained that 20 lakh families, including 16 lakh urban families had been kept away from the benefits of the central govt’s ambitious ‘housing-for-all’ scheme. Arun Sao also washed and scrubbed the feet of the beneficiaries who took part in the protest.
“Since 2018, people have been deprived of basic amenities. They (Congress) talk about conducting a survey to identify the beneficiaries. Why can’t they go by the data they collected in 2011 during their rule in the state?” former CM Raman Singh said.
Further taking a dig at Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, Raman Singh said, “His health minister T S Singh Deo also resigned because of the massive corruption. Bhupesh Baghel is loyal to the Gandhi family but not to the people of Chhattisgarh. If the BJP comes to power in 2023, our CM will enter the CMO only after the rehabilitation of the poor via PM Awas Yojna.”
BJP state president Arun Sao also tweeted against the Congress-ruled state government and indicated that the people of Chhattisgarh demanded change. “It has become clear from today’s assembly gherao that the people of Chhattisgarh want change and are ready to throw out this corrupt Congress government,” he wrote.
विधानसभा की तरफ़ कार्यकर्ताओं के साथ कूच करते हुए कार्यकर्ताओं के साथ गिरफ़्तारी दिया।
— Arun Sao (@ArunSao3) March 15, 2023
आज के विधानसभा घेराव से स्पष्ट हो गया है कि छत्तीसगढ़ की जनता बदलाव चाहती है और इस भ्रष्टाचारी कांग्रेस सरकार को उखाड़ फेंकने के लिए तैयार है।
(2/2) pic.twitter.com/0m5o2rnVJu
Meanwhile, Congress spokesperson Sushil Anand Shukla claimed that BJP’s protest was a complete failure. “It was a failure as they claimed to gather 1 lakh people and but the total footfall was not more than 10,000. I appreciate Chhattisgarh police for maintaining the law and order situation. The PM must release 60% funds for the scheme and the BJP should stop blaming us,” he said.
