This is an archive article published on August 18, 2024
Congress MLA held for rioting and arson in Chhattisgarh; vendetta, says party
Devendra Singh Yadav was allegedly among 5,000 people present at the Dussehra ground before the riots on July 10. Over a dozen young Congress leaders have been arrested in the case
Apart from the MLA, a dozen young Congress leaders have been arrested in the case. A total of 25 police personnel and other government servants suffered serious injuries in the riots.
Chhattisgarh Congress legislator Devendra Singh Yadav was arrested Saturday over last month’s riots at Baloda Bazar, prompting his party to accuse the ruling BJP of political vendetta.
On July 10, a mob protesting the desecration of Jaitkham — a structure that holds religious significance for the Satnam Panth sect — went rogue, setting the Superintendent of Police’s office on fire, damaging the nearby Collector’s office and 200 vehicles.
Yadav is a two-time MLA from Bhilai Nagar in the state’s Durg district and is said to be close to former chief minister Bhupesh Baghel. According to a police source, he was among the 5,000 people protesting the desecration at the Dussehra ground before the riots occurred.
He had previously been summoned thrice in connection with the case but “did not cooperate” with the investigation, the source said.
Confirming the arrest, Baloda Bazar SP Vijay Agrawal said: “179 people — including him (Yadav) — have so far been arrested in the case and more are wanted. He will be produced before a court Sunday.”
The Congress saw the arrest as an act of vendetta. “There’s no evidence against him and he was not involved in any kind of violence. The government is trying to hide their failure by arresting Yadav,” Chhattisgarh Congress media-in charge Sushil Anand Shukla told The Indian Express.
Former CM Baghel too condemned Yadav’s arrest. He said on X: “If the head of the state thinks that by arresting a young MLA, he will cover up his 8 months of ‘tainted tenure’, it’s his misunderstanding. By committing another injustice to the Satnami community, you are betraying society. We, the entire state, stand with Devendra Yadav and the Satnami community. You will get a befitting reply…chief minister! It will work from here, not from Chhattisgarh, Nagpur and Gujarat”.
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When contacted, Yadav’s older brother Dharmendra claimed he feared for the MLA’s life. “They are falsely implicating him,” he said.
Apart from the MLA, a dozen young Congress leaders have been arrested in the case. A total of 25 police personnel and other government servants suffered serious injuries in the riots.
The state government constituted a single-member judicial inquiry commission to probe the May desecration.
Jayprakash S Naidu is a Principal Correspondent for The Indian Express, currently serving as the state correspondent for Chhattisgarh. With an extensive career in frontline journalism, he reports on the political, security, and humanitarian landscape of Central India.
Expertise and Experience
Specialized Conflict Reporting: Jayprakash is a leading voice on the Maoist/Naxalite conflict in the Bastar region. His reporting provides a critical, ground-level view of:
Internal Security: Tracking high-stakes encounters, surrender programs for senior Maoist leaders, and the establishment of security camps in formerly inaccessible "heartland" villages.
Tribal Rights & Displacement: Investigative reporting on the identity and land struggles of thousands of displaced tribals fleeing conflict zones for neighboring states.
Governance & Bureaucratic Analysis: He consistently monitors the evolution of Chhattisgarh as it marks 25 years of statehood, covering:
Electoral Politics: Analyzing the shift in power between the BJP and Congress and the impact of regional tribal movements.
Public Policy: Reporting on landmark infrastructure projects (e.g., mobile connectivity in remote zones) and judicial interventions, such as High Court rulings on civil and family law.
Diverse Investigative Background: Prior to his current focus on Chhattisgarh, Jayprakash held reported from Maharashtra, where he specialized in:
Crisis & Disaster Management: Notable for his extensive coverage of the Cyclone Tauktae barge tragedy (P-305) and the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on frontline personnel.
Legal & Human Rights: Investigative pieces for platforms like Article-14, focusing on police accountability and custodial deaths across India.
Environmental & Social Justice: Authoritative reporting on the Hasdeo Aranya forest protests and the approval of major tiger reserves, highlighting the tension between industrial mining and environmental preservation. ... Read More
