Congress walks out over favouritism in Chhattisgarh’s coal mining

RAIPUR - Chhattisgarh’s main opposition Congress walked out of the assembly Monday accusing the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government of favouritism in the state’s coal mining sector.

Congress members raised slogans during question hour against the state government accusing it of favouring a particular coal mining company.

Former minister and Congress member Mohammed Akbar exchanged heated words with Chief Minister Raman Singh for favouring a company, Prakash Industries Ltd., and seeking the centre’s re-approval for allotting it a coal block in Korba district’s Chotia area.

Raman Singh countered the charge and said the ministry of environment and forests had failed to grant clearance to 15 coal block proposals, including that for Prakash Industries, and the government had again asked for clearance as the company was expanding its steel production capacity.

The opposition then walked out of the house, saying the company had not expanded its existing steel unit and government was favouring it out of turn.

The Congress has 39 members in the 90-member assembly while the BJP has 48. The Bahujan Samaj Party has two members and one seat is vacant.