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BJP criticises Chhattisgarh CM for arrest of men who participated in nude protest
BJP lawmakers disrupted proceedings in the Chhattisgarh assembly, demanding chief minister Bhupesh Baghel’s resignation over the arrest of the protesters
RAIPUR: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lawmakers on Wednesday criticised the arrest of the two-dozen men who were arrested for a nude protest march in Raipur and demanded that the Chhattisgarh government issue orders for their immediate release.
The lawmakers disrupted proceedings in the assembly, demanding chief minister Bhupesh Baghel’s resignation over the arrest of the protesters. The BJP lawmakers were also briefly suspended.
Leader of Opposition in the assembly Narayan Chandel raised the issue in the assembly on Wednesday, saying it was wrong to arrest them.
“The protesters were only demanding actions against the employees who are in government on the basis of fake caste certificate but the state government did not pay heed to them and compelled them to stage a demonstration without clothes,” Chandel said.
The BJP leader said instead of taking action against people holding fake caste certificates, the state government jailed the protesters who were fighting for their rights.
“We demand a high-powered committee on this issue,” said Chandel and other BJP MLAs.
“The protesters had already informed the administration about the nude protest. The government should have at least thought about why they were compelled to hold such a demonstration. The CM has no moral right to continue on the post and he should immediately resign, Chandel said.
On Tuesday, 29 men led the unusual protest in Raipur to seek action against people who they said, got government jobs using fake caste certificates. They were later placed under arrest.
The protesters said a state government committee conducted a probe into fake caste certificate cases and found that 267 government employees used forged SC/ST certificates, but no action had been taken against them so far “Earlier, we went on a hunger strike seeking action against them, but our demand remained unheard. Hence, we are now staging a naked protest.” one of them said on Tuesday.
