Assembly: Oppn attacks C''garh govt over paddy procurement

The opposition on Tuesday protested in the Chhattisgarh Assembly alleging irregularities

in the paddy procurement process of the Bhupesh Baghel government.

Legislators of the BJP, Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (J) and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) members arrived in the

Assembly wearing black clothes, and moved an adjournment motion seeking a discussion on paddy procurement and farmers'

woes. BJP MLAs Dharamlal Kaushik, Brijmohan Agrawal claimed

farmers had hit the streets due to irregularity in paddy procurement, to which the ruling Congress party legislators

objected. Amid the din, Speaker Charan Das Mahant read the

opposition's adjournment motion, which stated the Congress government had promised to procure paddy at Rs 2500 per

quintal but was buying it from farmers at Rs 1835 and Rs 1815 for 'grade A' and 'common grade' paddy respectively.

The opposition said paddy procurement was underway between December 1 last year and February 20 but had to be

suspended for several days for various reasons, due to which several farmers could not sell their produce.

Baghel said his government was ready to discuss the issue but alleged the opposition was creating ruckus to run

away from a debate. The House was adjourned for ten minutes, and after it

resumed, BJP MLA Ajay Chandrakar said over 1.34 lakh farmers couldn't sell their paddy, and asked the government to give a

one-line promise that their paddy would be procured. While the speaker asked Food Minister Amarjeet Bhagat

to answer, the opposition insisted they wanted the CM to make the announcement.

As many as 19 opposition MLAs then entered the Well of the House and were suspended, which was later revoked.

BJP MLAs later held a protest in front of the statue of Mahatma Gandhi in the Assembly complex.