Raipur: “Targetted” killing of Bharatiya Janata Party leaders dominated the Chhattisgarh Assembly session on Thursday with BJP leaders demanding a discussion on the issue.
The BJP leaders alleged that there was foul play and did not accept the police theory that the BJP leaders in Bastar were allegedly killed by Naxalites.
The uproar in the House led to the Assembly being adjourned thrice in quick succession. Thirteen BJP legislators were suspended twice after they trooped into the well of the House demanding a discussion on the issue by moving a notice for an adjournment motion.
₹4,143 crore Chhattisgarh Budget
Amid the ruckus, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel presented the supplementary budget of ₹4,143 crore for fiscal year 2022-23, which was passed by the Chhattisgarh Assembly.
Speaker Charan Das Mahant later revoked the suspension of the BJP MLAs after the supplementary budget of Rs 4,143 crore for 2022-23 was passed in the House.
Earlier, BJP MLAs Shivratan Sharma, Brijmohan Agrawal and Ajay Chandrakar, raised the issue of alleged targetted killing of BJP leaders in House during Zero Hour and said the people of Bastar have been bearing the brunt of religious conversion.
Targeted killings of BJP leaders
Four BJP leaders who were actively opposing the forced conversion were selectively assassinated in the Bastar division in the last one month, Sharma said alleging a a “nexus” between (Christian) missionaries and Naxalites, Sharma said. There is also a “nexus” between (Christian) missionaries and Naxalites, he said.
Bastar is in a state of “undeclared emergency” and conspiracies are being hatched to change the demography of the tribal-dominated region, alleged Chandrakar.
Meanwhile, BJP MLAs accused the police of providing protection to those involved in conversion and demanded a discussion on the issue by moving an adjournment motion notice.
Congress MLAs, however, refuted the charges. They also claimed that in the BJP regime there were a record number of targeted killings, while in the Bhupesh Baghel regime Naxal activities were brought under control.
