Chhattisgarh Assembly adjoruned over anti-PM remarks

Raipur, Mar 5 (UNI) The Chhattisgarh Assembly was adjourned till March 10 following pandemonium in the House for the second consecutive day today with the Opposition Congress members demanding the arrest of former BJP MP Ramvilas Vedanti for his alleged derogatory remarks against Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and some senior Congress leaders.

As soon as the House assembled today, Leader of the Opposition Mahendra Karma rose to his feet alleging that Mr Vedanti made derogatory remarks against Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and others at a function during the annual Kumbh, underway at nearby Rajim.

Mr Vedanti also termed the Centre as a government of ''traitors'' while delivering a discourse, Mr Karma alleged.

''Such religious congregations and fairs are associated with people's faith. These fora cannot be used for spreading communal ills and fulfilling a narrow political agenda,'' he said, adding that monks and seers would lose credibility if they indulged in such activities.

''It is a serious issue. Rajim is a holy place,'' Mr Karma said, adding that video recordings of Mr Vedanti's speech clearly showed that he made derogatory remarks. Satyanarayan Sharma (Congress) demanded Mr Vedanti's arrest under the National Security Act.

Culture Minister Brijmohan Agrawal said that the government neither subscribed to Mr Vedanti's views nor approved such comments.

''I regret that the incident happened,'' he lamented, adding that Mr Vedanti had apologised.

As Bhupesh Baghel (Congress) started raising slogans demanding Mr Vedanti's arrest, his party colleagues joined him, forcing Speaker Prem Prakash Pandey to adjourn the House twice.

When the House re-assembled, sloganeering continued and the Speaker's repeated appeals to maintain order and allow the Question Hour were drowned in the din.

As pandemonium continued, the Speaker adjourned the house till March 10.

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