Congress stalls assembly over anti-Sonia remarks

Raipur, Mar 10 (UNI) Opposition Congress continued to stall the proceedings of the Chhattisgarh Vidhan Sabha on the third consecutive day today, demanding arrest of former BJP member of parliament Ramvilas Vedanti for his alleged derogatory remarks against Congress president Sonia Gandhi during Rajim Kumbh-- a religious congregation last week.

As soon as the house assembled for the day, Congress legislature party deputy leader Bhupesh Baghel said Mr Vedanti had made obnoxious and derogatory remarks about Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, Congress president Sonia Gandhi and others while delivering a religious discourse during 'Rajim Kubh', which was concluded on March six.

Describing the remarks against Mrs. Sonia Gandhi as an "insult on women hood", he said one of the sadhu, who attended the Rajim Kumbh, was assaulted by a group of people, accusing him of stealing two rotis. " The government had spent crores for organizing the Rajim Kumbh. But a poor sadhu was beaten up for taking two rotis", he alleged.

Mr Baghel said the opposition would neither participate in the debate on budgetary demands of culture department nor would attend the question hour of the department concerned..

As legislative affairs minister Ajay Chandrakar rose to raise a point of order, Mr Nandkumar Patel (Congress) protested saying that point of orders were not permitted during the question house. As ruling and opposition members raised slogans and counter slogans, the speaker adjourned the house.

Even after the hours reassembled, noisy scenes continued with the opposition members pressing for legal action against Mr Vedanti. Mr Dhanendra sahu (Congress) said the sadhus and saints belonging to Kabirpanthi and Guru Ghasidas sect were not involved to attend the Rajim Kumbh even though their followers constituted almost 70 per cent of the state's population.

Mr Dharamjit Singh (Congress) said the BJP government has politicized a religious meet by inviting only those who were close to their political ideology while Mr Novil Verma (NCP) expressed his anguish over not inviting Kabirpandhi and Guru Ghasidas followers.

Nothing was audible in the house as the opposition and ruling party members raised slogans and counter slogans, forcing speaker Prem Prakash Pandey to adjourn the house till 1500 hours.

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