Twenty Congress MLAs, including Leader of Opposition Mahendra Karma, were on Wednesday suspended from Chhattisgarh Assembly for violating the House rule. Raising the Maoist issue for the second day, the Opposition members pressed for an adjournment motion on the Dantewara jailbreak incident by Naxalites in which 300 inmates, including 105 Maoists, had escaped on December 16, last.“Had the police taken immediate steps, the escaped prisoners, including the Naxalites, would have been re-captured. But that never happened,” Karma said and demanded their motion be taken up immediately. However, the Chair insisted for discussion on the merit of acceptance, following which the Opposition raised slogans demanding resignation of the Home Minister, making him responsible for the jail break. Subsequently, they trooped into the well of the House. The House rule says anyone entering the well of the House will automatically be suspended. The Chair said 20 Congress MLAs, including Deputy Opposition Leader Bhupesh Baghel, were suspended for the day.
