Cong stages state-wide economic blockade

 

 

 

In a display of strong defiance against the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Congress leaders and workers across Chhattisgarh on Tuesday staged a state-wide economic blockade, protesting the arrest of Chaitanya Baghel, son of former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel. The two-hour demonstration saw national highways and main roads in cities completely blocked, halting the movement of goods vehicles. In Raipur, the Congress party had pre-assigned responsibilities to various leaders for the economic blockade at different locations. Near Magneto Mall on the highway, City District Congress President Girish Dubey led the effort to stop goods vehicles. On Vidhan Sabha Road Sakri, the blockade was led by Narayan Kurre and Pappu Banjare. Near Dilbagh Dhaba, Sakra, MP Chhaya Verma and Anita Yogendra Sharma spearheaded the protest. Near Mohan Dhaba in Abhanpur, District Panchayat member Yashwant Sahu was at the forefront.

 

Near Rasni in Arang, former MLA Shivkumar Daharia led the demonstration. In Tilda at Deendayal Upadhyay Chowk, Congress spokesperson Shailesh Nitin Trivedi was in charge. Near Budera Azad Chowk in Kharora, Block Congress President Saurabh Mishra led the Congress workers in protest. In Bilaspur, Congress leaders and workers protested near Pendriadih on the Bilaspur-Raipur route (NH130). Leader of Opposition Charandas Mahant, MLAs Atal Srivastava and Dilip Lahariya, along with a large number of leaders and workers, participated. Mahasamund district witnessed blockades at four locations by the Mahasamund Congress Committee. On NH 53 at Ghodari, former MLA Vinod Chandrakar led the agitators.

 

At Tumgaon, District President Rashmi Chandrakar led the protest. Saraypali near Ghanteshwari Temple, MLA Chaturi Nand was in charge.Near Temri, MLA Dwarikadhish Yadav led the blockade. In Balod district, Congress blocked the Rajnandgaon-Balod-Dalli Rajhara main road at Kusumakasa Tihra Chowk. Congress members alleged that the ruling Government is using the ED and CBI to suppress the voice of the Opposition and harass them. MLA Anila Bhediya and Sanjari Balod MLA Sangeeta Sinha were present at the blockade. A massive demonstration was also seen in Kawardha as part of the Congress party’s statewide economic blockade. Hundreds of Congress workers set up tents in the middle of the Raipur-Jabalpur National Highway (NH-30), completely disrupting traffic. The blockade continued until 2 PM as announced. In anticipation of the protest, the administration deployed heavy police forces as a precautionary measure to maintain law and order and prevent any untoward incidents. The disruption to traffic caused significant inconvenience to commuters and vehicle drivers.