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Amidst the ongoing row over the Balodabazar violence in the Chhattisgarh State assembly, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) unit of Chhattisgarh has once again trained guns at the Congress party leaders for the violence and vandalism that unfolded in the town on June 10.
Interacting with the media, a senior Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) of the BJP, Ajay Chandrakar on Tuesday, July 23 alleged that the leaders of the grand old party were present at the site of agitation and they did nothing to prevent what followed in the town.
“Congress created dispute like situation, it’s evident that many leaders of the Congress party were present at the site of Balodabazar incident, did they tried to prevent the violence? What was their role in spreading the violence? Police is also looking for one of their MLA for interrogation pertaining to involvement in the incident,” said Chandrakar.
The Congress party doesn’t want to hear this, by boycotting or acting aggressively one cannot suppress the fact, it will remain same. It was a clear attempt to destablise the BJP government by carrying out such a big incident, the incident of such proportion cannot be taken lightly, it’s a conspiracy of the Congress, added Chandrakar.
He further said that I have openly named the said MLA in the assembly, it’s in the record. I have also said that attempts were made to defect our MLAs after the formation of the government and when this is the second time efforts are being made to destablise the Sai government which is working with a rapid pace.
Congress raise law and order issue, alleged intelligence failure for Balodabazar violence
Cahndrakar’s allegation come amidst the Congress party alleging the BJP government for intelligence failure for the onset of large scale violence in Balodabazar town.
Sharing the findings of its committee on Balodabazar incident, the INC on Sunday alleged that despite calls for gathering in the town on June 10 and distribution of pamphlets by organization like Bhim Army, Bhim Kranti, the administration did not take the threat seriously.
Congress investigation committee reports also raised fingers on the initial arrest made by the police in the case along with administration’s failure to grasp the situation when large number of people from the Satnmai community gathered and demanded for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the matter.
Notably the Congress party has also announced for a Vidhansabha (State Assembly) Gheraw on the issue of law and order in the state on Wednesday, July 24.
SIT grills Congress MLA
Meanwhile the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Chhattisgarh police grilled Congress MLA from Bhilai Nagar, Devendra Yadav in connection with the violent episode at Balodabazar Kotwali on Monday.
Yadav was grilled for more than an hour after his name popped up in the violent incident leading to large scale arson and vandalism at Balodabazar joint collector premises after protest of the Satnami community over vandalism of Jaitkhma became uncontrollable.
According to the reports, the SIT led by Abhishek Singh asked around a 100 questions to the Congress lawmaker in connection with the vandalism and arson incident. Later on the SIT also grilled Yadav’s PA.
Violence during the Satnami community protest in Balodabazar town
Notably, an agitated mob of protestors on June 10 set ablaze several government offices and hundreds of vehicles in joint collector’s office premises by breaching the security installments over vandalism of the ‘Jaitkham’, a sacred symbol associated with the Satnami community near Amar Gufa in Mahkoni village of Giroudpuri on the intervening night of May 15-16.
The protest was called almost a fortnight after the members of the community expressed their disagreement over the initial arrest made by the police in connection with the vandalism episode at Amar Gufa on May 15-16.
Significantly the police had arrested three individuals in the case and claimed that the accused had carried out the provoking act in drunken state as they were unhappy about not receiving their wages from one of the contractor of the village.
However, the theory given by police did not bode well with the community members, who while refuting the arrests made by the police demanded a higher enquiry into the matter and warned for continuation of protest in case of inaction.
The community members then assembled in the Dussehra ground to mark their protest against the vandalism episode on June 10. However, a significant chunk of the protestors soon barged in the collector office premises after their agitation escalated dramatically and became uncontrollable.
The demonstrators also vandalized vehicles on their way to the collector’s office, where they set ablaze dozens of four-wheelers parked in the premises. Hundreds of two-wheelers stationed near the premises were also vandalised by the mob who had a brief altercation with the police personnel trying to contain the violence.
Later on the officials informed that initial estimate of the damage done during the violence in the collector’s premises stand at around Rs 12 crore while a total of 240 vehicles have been damaged during the violence. This includes a total of 31 private and government four wheelers and 60 two wheelers which have been completely charred in the arson incident. Additionally, a total of 27 four wheelers and 122 two wheelers have also been damaged partially into the violent act.
Action taken by police
The violence at the Baodabazar town prompted major action by the police who soon launched a crackdown to nab the culprits behind the rioting after initial reports hinted about the possible involvement of certain organisations and individuals with political connection.
The crackdown led to arrest of a number of individuals belonging to organisation like Bhim Army, Bhim Krantiveer and others associated with political streams while one of the key accused Dinesh Chaturvedi, the State President of the Bhim Regiment also surrendered before the CJM court due to mounting pressure of the police.
As of now a total of 171 people have been so far arrested by the police in connection with the case. Those arrested includes of key accused Kailash Navrange, the state president of Bhim Krantiveer, Gopi Bande, State President of the Bhim Krantiveer Chhatra Sangh, and Sandeep Kosle, Vice President of the same outfit, Rajkumar Jangde, state president of Bhim Army, National Student Union of India (NSUI) member, Suryakant Verma, Avinash Dhritlahre, district president of Bhim regiment Bemetra and Mohan Banjare, a government teacher and a key conspirator of the violence at Balodabazar.
Judicial Inquiry Commission
It must be noted that a single member commission headed by retired judge of Bilaspur High Court, C B Vajpayee is also investigating the vandalism incident that unfolded on the intervening night of May 15-16 in Giraudpuri.
The commission been assigned with the task of investigating the vandalism incident on six points including the possible causes leading to the incident and the situation that unfolded aftermath. For the work assigned, the commission has been provided with a time frame of three months to submit its report to the government.
It is worth mentioning here that the State of Chhattisgarh has a significant population of the Satnami community who follows the teaching of revered social reformer and spiritual awakener of medieval era, Guru Ghasidas Ji Maharaj.
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