Daijiworld Media Network - Bhopal
Bhopal, Mar 10: A protest staged by the Congress against the ruling BJP took a dramatic turn on Monday when a stage collapsed at Rangmahal Chowk, leaving six party leaders injured. Among them were Madhya Pradesh Congress farmer wing chairman Dharmendra Singh Chouhan and senior leader from Gwalior, Gulab Singh. The injured were immediately taken to a nearby hospital for medical attention.
The protest was part of the Congress’s demonstration on the first day of the Madhya Pradesh Assembly’s budget session. Starting from Rangmahal Chowk, the rally was planned to march towards the Vidhan Sabha, spanning a three-kilometer route. However, as party leaders gathered on stage to address the crowd, the platform gave way, causing chaos and injuries.
Police personnel stationed at the protest site acted swiftly, rushing the injured leaders to the hospital in ambulances. Despite the mishap, Congress workers continued their demonstration, attempting to push through police barricades. Security forces responded by deploying water cannons to control the crowd.
Earlier in the day, Congress MLAs, led by Leader of the Opposition Umang Singhar, arrived at the Assembly premises wearing black cloth over their faces and carrying placards against the BJP government. Singhar stated that the black attire symbolized their protest against the BJP’s reluctance to address public concerns and the alleged suppression of dissenting voices.
He emphasized that the Congress was demanding discussions on critical issues such as corruption, farmers' grievances, and public welfare during the budget session, but accused the BJP of deliberately avoiding these debates. According to Singhar, Congress legislators who raised corruption-related queries were pressured to withdraw them.
Further, he alleged that the BJP was protecting influential figures, including senior bureaucrats and politicians linked to corruption scandals. He pointed to the recent arrest of former RTO constable Saurabh Sharma and his associates, insisting that the full list of those involved be disclosed. Singhar also questioned the silence of Chief Minister Mohan Yadav and the BJP leadership on the matter, claiming that investigations had revealed the involvement of multiple BJP leaders and officials.
The incident at Rangmahal Chowk has only intensified the political tensions between the ruling BJP and the Congress, setting the stage for a confrontational budget session in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly.