Chhattisgarh Minister draws flak in Assembly

Raipur, July 13 (UNI) The Chhattisgarh government was today red-faced in the Assembly when Home Minister Ram Vichar Netam turned up sans a written reply to an adjournment notice on a recent naxal assault in which 24 security personnel were killed in tribal Bastar division.

Speaker Prem Prakash Pandey adjourned the House for ten minutes saying it was unfortunate that the Government did not submit its written reply to the notice, which had been sent to it on July 10.

Earlier, the Speaker read out the notice and sought the government's reply. As Mr Netam rose to speak, Mr Pandey asked him to read out a written reply.

Though Mr Netam read out a reply, it turned out to be on some other issue, sparking protests from the Opposition. ''The Government is non-serious over an adjournment motion, which is the most important business of the House,'' Opposition members said.

Congress members also pointed out that no senior police officer, except DGP Vishwaranjan, was present in the House when such an important issue came up for debate through an adjournment motion.

They demanded action against those responsible for what they termed as negligence in timely preparation of the written reply.

UNI