Congress opposes nagar suraj abhiyan

Takes out protest rally, 212 held, released later

Raipur, November 19, 2012

About 212 Congress leaders including state unit president Nandkumar Patel, CLP leader Ravindra Choubey and Vidyacharan Shukla were arrested by police near GE road-based Cooperative Bank while they were advancing towards Town Hall in the form of a rally to oppose the government’s nagar suraj abhiyan (NSA) and submit the memorandum to local government authorities in favour of their demands on Monday. Later, police released all the Congress leaders.

As the Congress had already announced to oppose NSA and raise issues like hike in power tariff, property tax, water tax, integrated tax and lack of radical facilities in urban areas during the government’s ambitious drive, the partymen commenced a massive protest rally from Congress Bhawan.

The rally proceeded towards Town Hall via City Kotwali chowk, Malviya road and Jaistambh chowk before it was stopped by the heavily guarded police near Cooperative Bank. There, the Congmen initially scuffled with the police to march ahead, but were subdued by the latter.

Hitting at the government over police action against Congress rally, Patel said it happened on directives of chief minister Raman Singh. “It was repressive action against us. Surely, people will give reply in coming days,” he added.

Choubey said none had authority to suppress anyone’s voice in democracy. “We were peacefully marching towards Town Hall to submit memorandum pertaining to public grievances but the government forcible stopped us and sent to jail,” he added.

Shukla urged the partymen to vow to dethrone the BJP government in coming polls.

The prominent Congress leaders who were arrested by the police were Bhupesh Baghel, Kiranmayi Nayak, Inderchand Dhariwal, Satyanarayan Sharma, Pankaj Sharma, Kuldeep Singh Juneja, Dr Haridas Bhardwaj, Vidhan Mishra, Haji Sheikh Najimuddin, Mahendra Chhabda, Sushil Anand Shukla, Ashok Raj Ahuja, etc.

Patel, Choubey, Shukla in Mahasamund today

Under its shahar bachao abhiyan (SBA) and to oppose nagar suraj abhiyan (NSA), the PCC president Nandkumar Patel, CLP leader Ravindra Choubey and Vidyacharan Shukla will lead the partymen in protest rally at Mahasamund on Tuesday.