Chhattisgarh Congress demands security for its leaders

Raipur: The Chhattisgarh Pradesh Congress Committee (CPCC) has written a letter to the Director General of Police (DGP), demanding security for its leaders in wake of the audio-tape controversy and the action taken by the party against Amit Jogi.

"Chhattisgarh Congress leader Girish Devangan has written a letter to the DGP in this regard," CPCC spokesperson Shailesh Nitin Trivedi told reporters here today.

"After an audio-tape was released regarding the Antagarh bypoll issue, (a lot of) political developments have been taking place... Names of senior leaders including Chief Minister Raman Singh and his son-in-law have come up in connection with the case.

"This issue has become of national and state importance, in which new developments are taking place. Since, names of influential people cropped up, there is a possibility of an attack on our leaders," reads the letter by Devangan.

Devangan has said that from the security point of view, it is felt that security of CPCC chief and MLA from Patan constituency Bhupendra Singh Baghel be enhanced.

Besides Baghel, CPCC has demanded security for state vice-president P R Khunte and leaders Rudra Kumar Guru and Deepak Karma. Meanwhile, Baghel attacked Raman Singh and blamed the state government for being "undemocratic".

He said, "The state unit has given its report on the matter and executive committee's report to the high command and the decision has to taken by them."

A political storm erupted in the state after an audio tape containing telephonic talks purportedly between Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh's son-in-law Puneet Gupta, Ajit Jogi, his son Amit, and Ajit loyalists Firoz Siddiqui and Ameen Memon surfaced, alleging their involvement in "fixing" the bypoll to Antagarh assembly seat.