Raipur (Chhattisgarh), January 23: Former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister and Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel has accused the BJP of trying to suppress the voices of the opposition in the state. Baghel pointed to the case of senior Congress leader Kawasi Lakhma, who he claimed was targeted by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) after raising concerns about corruption.
Speaking to ANI, Baghel said, “The BJP wants to silence the opposition. Kawasi Lakhma, a six-time MLA and the voice of Bastar, has been consistently speaking out against corruption. He raised issues in the Vidhan Sabha, and just eight days later, the ED arrived at his house. This comes at a time when municipal and Panchayati Raj elections are approaching in Chhattisgarh. This is why he has been jailed.”
Baghel further added, “The same tactics were used against Devendra Yadav (Bhilai Nagar MLA). These attempts to silence the opposition show a clear disregard for democracy and reflect dictatorship.”
On January 16, following the ED’s arrest of former Chhattisgarh Excise Minister Kawasi Lakhma in connection with an alleged liquor scam, Baghel had questioned the probe, asserting that the agency failed to recover any evidence from Lakhma’s house. He also accused Lakhma of exposing corruption in a project approved without the proper departmental sanction.
Lakhma is accused of allegedly receiving substantial amounts in cash from the proceeds of the liquor scam, which ran between 2019 and 2022. According to the ED, Lakhma was the primary recipient of these illegal funds during his tenure as excise minister. The agency claims that bribes were collected from distillers in exchange for liquor purchases made by the Chhattisgarh State Marketing Corporation Limited (CSMCL), the state-run body responsible for buying and selling liquor.