Chhattisgarh Congress MLA Seeks Sedition Charge Against Official Over Event Invite

A Congress MLA on Tuesday wrote to Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel demanding the removal of Bilaspur district collector in Chhattisgarh for "neglecting" and “disrespecting” public representatives while inviting them to the Rajyotsav (statehood celebrations) event in Chhattisgarh's Bilaspur.

Shailesh Pandey, who represents Bilaspur constituency, also said Collector Saransh Mittar be charged with sedition.

"The Bilaspur Collector Saransh Mittar has been continuously insulting your (CM) government and elected representatives. As per your direction, Rajyotsav programme was held in all district headquarters on November 1 (Chhattisgarh's foundation day) and the state government had sent the list of persons who were to be chief guests of the function while selection of the remaining guests was to be done by the concerned district collector," he said in the letter.

"The MLA of the ruling party was not invited (as guests) at the function here. Even MLAs of the opposition party should have been invited. Other public representatives like the mayor, chairman of Zilla Panchayat were also not invited by mentioning their names on the invitation card (as guests of the function),” he further said.

The collector has neglected and disrespected public representatives by sending them invitation cards as it was sent to common people, and this act of the collector amounts to insult of people and the government and it comes under the category of sedition, Mr Pandey asserted.

Parliamentary Secretary Indrashah Mandavi, an MLA from Mohla-Manpur, was chief guest at the Rajyotsav event in Bilaspur and, except him, no other person was mentioned as guests on the invitation card.

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