Raipur, Feb 22 (PTI) Opposition Congress on Thursday triggered uproar in Chhattisgarh Assembly demanding a CBI probe into the murder of a ‘gau sevak’ (cow shelter worker) in the state’s Kabirdham district.
The ruling party jibed at Congress saying the state had banned the entry of the central agency when it was in power.
Amid pandemonium, the proceedings were adjourned once, while Congress legislators were suspended after they trooped into the well of the House when the chair disallowed their demand for discussion.
On the night of January 20, cow shelter worker Sadhram Yadav (48) was killed allegedly by six persons on the outskirts of Kawardha city, the headquarters of Kabirdham district, when he was heading to his village Lalpur on a bicycle.
All the accused were subsequenty arrested and the police included sections under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in the case.
According to police, the investigation into the case revealed that the six accused had murdered Yadav in “ISIS style” by slitting his throat in their attempt to create terror in Kawardha city ahead of consecration of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya (on January 22).
Congress legislators, including former chief minister Bhupesh Baghel, raised the issue in Zero Hour and demanded a CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) into the murder and compensation of Rs 50 lakh for the victim’s family.
Pressing for discussion on the matter, the opposition members also demanded a government job for Yadav’s kin.
BJP MLAs took a dig at the opposition, saying that those who had banned the CBI’s entry into the state (during the previous Congress government) are now demanding a probe by it.
Assembly Speaker Raman Singh disallowed the demand for discussion, saying that the issue was already mentioned in the statement of the state’s home minister (on Wednesday).
But the opposition MLAs started sloganeering demanding CBI enquiry, compensation and government job in the matter and trooped into the well of the House. They were automatically suspended. The speaker later revoked their suspension.
Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma, who also holds Home portfolio, told reporters on the premises that action is being taken against the accused under UAPA in the Yadav murder case and called the step a first of its kind in the state.
This incident is different from the Biranpur communal violence as the murder was not “committed with ‘hathiyar’ (weapons), rather it was done with ‘vichar’ (ideas)”, he said.
The accused in the case have links with Kashmir and a probe is underway, he added.
Sharma on Wednesday had announced that a CBI probe would be recommended in the murder of Bhuneshwar Sahu in a communal violence in Biranpur village of state’s Bemetara district last year. PTI TKP NR
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