Uproar in C'garh assembly over terming tribals as refugees

Raipur, Mar 27 (UNI) The Chhattisgarh assembly today witnessed noisy scenes as Opposition members strongly protested against Home Minister Ram Vichar Netam's remark terming the Bastar tribals, who had to desert their villages and shelter in relief camps following naxalite threat, were 'refugees'.

Opposition Congress members demanded an apology from the minister for stating that a refugee was a person who has been forced to leave his country and not someone living within his own nation.

The issue came up during question hour, when Mr Netam was replying to a question by Mr Lachchu Ram Baghel (BJP) over the relief camps set up in the South Bastar region to accommodate those, who had deserted their villages because of naxalite threat.

In his reply, Mr Netam said 27 relief camps had been set up in which 45,958 ''refugees'' were accommodated.

Opposition parties, including the lone Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) member Novil Kumar Verma, took exception to Mr Netam's remark.

Mr Ravindra Choubey and Mr Bhupesh Baghel (both Cong) demanded that the minister should express regret for making the remark. Mr Netam sought to offer an explanation but he could not be heard in the din.

As opposition members raised point of orders, Speaker Prem Prakash Pandey said he cannot exert pressure on anyone to express regret as such issues depended on the conscience of the member concerned.

As the minister did not express regret, Congress and NCP members raised slogans and staged a walkout.

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