Cong’s bid to ‘gherao' State Assembly foiled

Scores of Congress party workers were detained by the police near Avanti Bai Lodhi Chowk here on Tuesday evening while they were on their way to “gherao” the State Assembly.

The protest was called by Raipur district unit of the party demanding fulfilment of nine-point charter of demands including awarding land titles to the poor who are residing at the places for years and an assurance of not evicting them from their places in the name of developing Smart City.

Congress activists led by Raipur District Congress President Vikas Upadhyay, Raipur Mayor Pramod Dubey and District Congress President (Rural) Pankaj Sharma assembled and staged demonstration at the Mandi Gate at Pandri locality.

Later, Chhattisgarh Pradesh Congress Committee (CGPCC) Chief Bhupesh Baghel reached the agitation venue and addressed the activists.

He lambasted the ruling BJP government while stating that it was using oppressive tactics against the Opposition.

Other leaders who participated in the agitation addressed the gathering included Member of Parliament (MP), Chhaya Verma, former Minister Satyanarayan Sharma and former MP Karuna Shukla.

The leaders charged that the welfare schemes which are run by the State government were not reaching the actual beneficiaries.

The Congress leaders also demanded rectifying the problems on issuance of caste and bonafide residence certificates, accepting eligibility of all the citizens for treatment of ailments through Smart Card and Ayushman Bharat Scheme, reduction in price of petroleum products including LPG cylinders, unemployment allowance, fulfilling the demands of various government employees' organizations including of that of policemen's families and for maintaining the law and order situation.