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Congress demands CBI inquiry into `rice scam'

Party MLAs resort to slogan shouting in Assembly, demand resignation of CM

RAIPUR: Opposition Congress members in the Chhattisgarh Assembly today resorted to slogan shouting throughout the day barring the question hour demanding an inquiry by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the ``rice scam'' in the state.

Congress members did not participate in discussion except during the question hour and raised slogans demanding resignation of Chief Minister Raman Singh for not ordering a CBI probe into the missing of more than 26,000 quintals of rice from Kunkuri godown of the state warehousing corporation.

Speaker Prem Prakash Pandey repeatedly requested Congress members to cooperate for the smooth conduct of the proceedings but the latter remained on their feet. Opposition members also demanded action against all those involved in the scandal.

The issue cropped up during the question hour itself when Home Minister Ramvichar Netam informed that the State Bureau of Investigation of economic offences (EOW) had registered a case against godown manager S K Nigam and others after it was found that 26626.42 quintals rice stock was missing.

Mr Nandkumar Patel (Congress) alleged that rice stock, meant for distribution under the food for work programme and other schemes for the poor, was siphoned off and reiterated the demand for a CBI inquiry into the matter.

While opposition members continued to raise slogans, the Speaker took up the remaining business, including the call attention notices of Mr Devji Bhai Patel (BJP), who drew the attention of Health Minister towards the pathetic state of affairs in Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar Medical College Hospital in the state capital.

Though Health minister Krishnamurthy Bandhi replied to his call attention, it was not audible as opposition members continued to raise slogans.

Mr Pandey asked Dr Shakrajit Nayak (Congress) and others to take up their call attention notice on coal theft in Raigarh but they continued to raise slogans.

Later, the house took up for discussion the second supplementary demands of more than Rs 388 crore and the related appropriation bill, which was passed by voice vote amid slogan shouting by the Congress members.

Similarly, the house also passed by voice vote the Chhattisgarh Land Revenue Code (Amendment) Bill 2005, Chhattisgarh Sahukari (Amendment) Bill 2005 and the Chhattisgarh Entry Tax (Amendment) Bill 2005.

As the opposition members did not participate in discussions the Speaker adjourned the house for the day. - UNI

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Congress demands CBI inquiry into `rice scam'

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