Statewide Congress protests erupt in Chhattisgarh against alleged misuse of Central agencies, corporate favoritism

Former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Tuesday led a statewide protest in Chhattisgarh, blocking National Highway-56 in Raipur as part of a coordinated Congress agitation against the alleged misuse of central agencies and the government’s support for corporate interests.

The protest gained momentum across all 33 districts, with senior leaders mobilizing party workers to enforce road blockades and stage demonstrations.

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In Raipur, Baghel sat on the ground alongside party workers, temporarily disrupting traffic near VIP Chowk. Senior leaders including Charan Das Mahant, T.S. Singh Deo, Amarjeet Bhagat, Deepak Baij, and Harshita Swami Baghel led similar protests in Bilaspur, Ambikapur, Bastar, and Rajnandgaon.

The Congress accused the BJP governments at both the Centre and state levels of targeting political opponents and aiding private industrial groups at the cost of public and environmental interests.

In Ambikapur, Congress leaders blocked Banaras Road for nearly two hours, resulting in long queues of vehicles. The protest, held as part of a state-level call for an economic blockade, featured sharp criticism of the Enforcement Directorate (ED), the Adani Group, and Ambani-led enterprises.

“Adani Group has cleared 200–300 acres of forest overnight, ignoring local sentiments and damaging the ecological balance,” alleged former Deputy Chief Minister Singh Deo.

“This is not just about Chaitanya Baghel or Robert Vadra. The system is being misused to silence voices that oppose environmental destruction and crony capitalism.”

Former minister Amarjeet Bhagat also launched a scathing attack on the BJP, claiming, “Bhupesh Baghel raised his voice against corporate interests. His son’s arrest by the ED is politically motivated.”

Responding to the Congress’s allegations, BJP’s Lundra MLA Prabodh Minj said, “Several Congress leaders are either in jail or out on bail due to corruption. The ED is an independent agency doing its duty. Misleading the public through road blockades is both irresponsible and disruptive.”

Meanwhile, BJP spokesperson and former minister Ajay Chandrakar called the Congress a “personality-centric party,” questioning why similar protests were not held earlier during the arrests of Congress leaders Devendra Yadav and Kawasi Lakhma.

In districts like Dhamtari, Kanker, Kabirdham, Korba, and Durg, the Congress mobilized its full organizational strength. In Rajnandgaon, MLA Harshita Swami Baghel, along with district party presidents Kulbir Chhabra and Bhagwat Sahu, led the blockade.

In Ambikapur, the protest intensified following the arrest of Chaitanya Baghel. Security arrangements were tightened across protest sites. In Raipur, normal traffic resumed by mid-afternoon.