The Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly witnessed repeated disruptions on Monday as the Opposition Congress raised the issue of alleged irregularities in Ram Temple donations, leading to heated exchanges with the ruling BJP and the eventual adjournment of the House until Tuesday.

As soon as the Monsoon Session commenced, Leader of Opposition Dr Charan Das Mahant and Congress legislators entered the Assembly carrying posters alleging theft of donations collected for the Ram Temple. The Opposition accused those responsible of betraying the faith of devotees and demanded discussion on the issue.

Adjournment Motion Rejected

Responding to the Opposition's demand, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ajay Chandrakar said the matter did not fall within the jurisdiction of the Chhattisgarh Assembly or the state government.

Assembly Speaker Dr Raman Singh rejected the adjournment motion, stating that the issue was not related to the state's legislative domain.

The rejection triggered loud sloganeering from Congress members, forcing the Speaker to adjourn the proceedings briefly. Even after the House reconvened, protests continued, resulting in repeated interruptions before the Assembly was finally adjourned for the day.

Bhupesh Baghel Targets BJP

During the protest, former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel alleged that people from Chhattisgarh had also contributed donations for the construction of the Ram Temple.

He claimed that devotees had donated money in good faith but alleged that the funds had been misappropriated, accusing those responsible of betraying public trust.

The ruling BJP rejected the allegations, maintaining that the matter was already being dealt with through appropriate legal and investigative processes.

Education Issues Raised During Question Hour

Before the House was disrupted, Question Hour focused on higher education and teacher training institutions in the state.

BJP MLA Lata Usendi raised concerns over the absence of BEd and DEd courses at Shaheed Mahendra Karma University in Kondagaon and sought clarification regarding implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

Replying to the questions, Higher Education Minister Tank Ram Verma said the National Education Policy has already been implemented across universities and colleges in the state.

He also informed the House that a task force has been constituted to examine proposals for starting BEd and DEd programmes in 13 colleges across Chhattisgarh.

Tribute to Teejan Bai

The Assembly proceedings began with members paying tribute to Padma Vibhushan awardee Teejan Bai, the renowned Pandavani exponent who passed away recently.

Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai remembered her contribution in taking Chhattisgarh's traditional folk art to global audiences and described her legacy as a source of inspiration for future generations.

Leader of Opposition Dr Charan Das Mahant also paid tribute, recalling her immense contribution to preserving the state's cultural heritage. As a mark of respect, the House observed condolences and suspended proceedings for five minutes.

Congress to Move No-Confidence Motion

The political confrontation is expected to continue on Tuesday when the Congress plans to move a no-confidence motion against the BJP government.

Although the ruling BJP enjoys a clear majority in the Assembly, the Opposition is expected to use the debate to raise issues related to governance, law and order, farmers' concerns and other public matters.

The discussion is likely to witness sharp exchanges between Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai and senior Congress leaders during the remaining days of the Monsoon Session.