Raipur: The opposition Congress on Friday created chaos in the Chhattisgarh Assembly demanding a complete ban on liquor sale in the state. Raising the issue soon after the Question Hour, senior Congress legislator Satyanarayan Sharma alleged that a Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) abused a panchayat secretary over phone while pressurising him to set up a government liquor shop in his village. Similar incidents were taking place everywhere in the state, he said.
State Congress chief Bhupesh Baghel said he had a CD of the telephonic conversation between the SDM and panchayat secretary, and sought the Speaker’s permission to produce it.
Sarpanchs and panchayat secretaries were being pressurised to set up liquor shops and those who opposed the shops were being targeted with the help of police, Mr Baghel said, demanding a discussion on the issue.
Congress Legislative Party Leader T S Singhdeo said the Chief Minister was talking about liquor ban outside the House, but he should announce the same in the House.
This was followed by pandemonium in the House with Congress legislators shouting slogans.
Dev Ji Bhai Patel, who was holding charge temporarily in the place of the Speaker Gaurishankar Agrawal, rejected their demand of discussion, so the Congress MLAs rushed into the well of the House.
As per the Assembly rules, entering the well of the House attracts automatic suspension.
However later the Speaker revoked the suspension.
The BJP government in Chhattisgarh in January approved constitution of a state-owned corporation for retail liquor sale, which Congress is opposing.
PTI