The third day of the Chhattisgarh Assembly's Monsoon Session witnessed heated exchanges on Wednesday as the ruling BJP and the Congress clashed over the Nakti demolition drive and alleged tiger poaching in the Indravati Tiger Reserve. The proceedings were marked by slogan-shouting, the suspension of Congress legislators, and sharp accusations over governance, rehabilitation, and wildlife protection.

The Opposition brought an adjournment motion over the demolition of houses in Nakti village, alleging that the action amounted to a violation of human rights and reflected a growing "bulldozer culture" in BJP-ruled states. Congress members demanded a detailed discussion in the House and sought an explanation from the government over the rehabilitation of displaced families.

Assembly Speaker Dr Raman Singh rejected the adjournment motion, prompting Congress MLAs to enter the well of the House and raise slogans against the government. Following continued protests, all Congress legislators were suspended from the day's proceedings.

Responding to the allegations, Revenue Minister Tank Ram Verma defended the demolition drive, stating that the action was carried out strictly in accordance with constitutional provisions and due legal process.

The minister said notices had been issued to all encroachers before the eviction, adding that the operation followed judicial procedures. He also maintained that rehabilitation measures had been undertaken and claimed no household belongings were damaged during the exercise. The government further rejected allegations that the demolition was carried out amid adverse weather conditions.

The Assembly also witnessed an intense debate over the alleged poaching of tigers in the Indravati Tiger Reserve during a calling attention motion raised by Leader of Opposition Dr Charan Das Mahant.

Mahant alleged that two tigers had been killed and wildlife traffickers earned nearly ₹4 crore through the illegal trade. He questioned why the identity of an Intelligence Bureau personnel arrested in connection with the case had not been made public and accused the government of shielding influential individuals.

He further claimed that surveillance cameras remained non-functional for nearly two hours during the incident despite prior intelligence alerts, alleging serious lapses in forest protection.

Forest Minister Kedar Kashyap denied any attempt to protect those involved, asserting that the investigation was proceeding impartially and that no names had been deliberately concealed.

The minister informed the House that 126 surveillance cameras are operational inside the reserve and denied reports that the cameras had been switched off. He said action would be taken against every person found responsible while maintaining that tiger numbers in the reserve were improving.

During supplementary questions, Congress MLA Vikram Mandavi sought details on the tiger population and budgetary allocation for the reserve. Kashyap informed the Assembly that the 2022 assessment confirmed the presence of five tigers in the reserve and that approximately ₹10 crore is spent annually on its management. He added that while six tiger skins had been recovered, investigations were yet to establish whether all belonged to tigers from the Indravati Tiger Reserve.

Question Hour also saw discussions on the procurement of medicines through the Chhattisgarh Medical Services Corporation (CGMSC). Congress MLA Atal Shrivastava questioned the purchase of medicines from a Gujarat-based pharmaceutical company after some of its products had reportedly failed quality tests.

Health Minister Shyam Bihari Jaiswal clarified that no banned medicines had been procured by the state government. He stated that 24 medicines had failed quality tests over the past two years and four companies had subsequently been blacklisted.

Infrastructure issues also featured prominently during the proceedings, with legislators raising concerns over the condition of roads under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana. Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma announced that the government plans to introduce Artificial Intelligence-based technology for road condition assessments, replacing the existing manual inspection process. He said video recordings of roads would enable AI systems to identify potholes and determine maintenance requirements.

With repeated confrontations between the treasury and Opposition benches, the Assembly's third day underscored growing political tensions ahead of key legislative business scheduled later in the Monsoon Session.