Congress demands CBI probe into botched sterilisations in Chhattisgarh

Raipur: Stepping up pressure on the ruling BJP in Chhattisgarh over botched sterilisation surgeries in Bilaspur district, Congress today sought a CBI probe into the incident which claimed the life of 13 women and left many critical. “We believe that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) should be roped in to probe the botched sterilisation tragedy looking at the seriousness of the incident, while a panel comprising a sitting judge of the Supreme Court or high court should be constituted to conduct a judicial enquiry into it,” Leader of Opposition in the Chhattisgarh Assembly S Singhdeo said in Raipur.[caption id=“attachment_1801669” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  A woman, who underwent sterilization surgery at a government mass sterilisation “camp”, walks to sit in a hospital bed at a district hospital in Bilaspur. Reuters[/caption] The main opposition party has also decided to launch a foot march protest across the state, to press their demands including resignation of Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh and removal of Health Minister Amar Agrawal. “The party will launch a foot march from Bilaspur on 22 November which will end in Raipur on 27 November to protest against the incident. The foot march will also be taken out from all block headquarters to district headquarters during this period,” Singhdeo said. Demands to be raised during the protest includes resignation of the chief minister, removal of Agrawal, CBI enquiry, compensation of Rs 10 lakh each to the family of women who died in sterilisation camps, government jobs to any one member of their family, probe into alleged scams in the health department and many others, he said. Protest against Chhattisgarh’s new paddy procurement policy, strategies for municipal polls and the party’s membership drive were other issues discussed during the meeting, he said. PTI