Opposition walks out over Rewa issue

Bhopal, Mar 04: The opposition staged a walkout today in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly alleging that the government was shielding the prime accused in a case relating to firing in front of Rewa district's JP Cement factory. Raising the matter during question hour, Sajjan Singh Verma of Congress alleged that the accused were not being arrested due to links of the 'head of government' with the unit's owner Sunny Gaud. Police were unable to act impartially owing to pressure, he added.

“The September 22, 2007 firing killed one person and injured a few. Gaud, Rajneesh Gaud and KP Sharma are among about half-a-dozen people named in the first information report. A judicial inquiry is underway,” said Home Minister Himmat Kothari. Accusing the Minister of concealing facts and lying, Verma added that a probe was ordered sans a demand as the regime wanted to shield the accused. Ramlakhan Sharma (Communist Party of India-Marxist), Sunilam (Samajwadi Party) and several Congress members demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation probe.

Later, raising in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly on Tuesday, the case of two traders abducted in Bhind district headquarters yesterday, main opposition Congress members alleged deterioration in the state's law and order situation. Raising the matter during zero hour, former minister of state for home Govind Singh of Congress said, “Traders are unsafe in Bhind. Even the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party's MLA staged a sit-in against yesterday's abduction. Police are yet to rescue them.” Satyadev Katare of Congress urged the government to take proper steps.

Referring to the burning alive of a dalit minor -- who was doused with kerosene and set alight in Jabalpur district's Sihora on Sunday for protesting eve-teasing Sajjan Singh Verma Congress placed a question mark on the law and order situation besides demanding strict action against the accused. Verma, Arif Akil and Sunilam of Samajwadi Party were observed waving a magazine and making some comments over the Freedom of Expression but their words were drowned as several members spoke at once. Meanwhile, Deputy Speaker Hazarilal Raghuvanshi assured that a related discussion would take place.