Chhattisgarh's Commerce and Industry Minister, Lakhan Lal Dewangan
Chhattisgarh's Commerce and Industry Minister, Lakhan Lal Dewangan(Photo | X)

Chhattisgarh Minister Lakhan Lal Dewangan faces backlash over remarks to protesting women

The protesters, who had been demonstrating for five days without resolution, resorted to a ‘chakka jam’ (road blockade) along the minister's route.
Published on

RAIPUR: Chhattisgarh's Commerce and Industry Minister, Lakhan Lal Dewangan, sparked controversy after a video surfaced showing him reprimanding a group of women protesting in his constituency, Korba.

The women were demanding a waiver on loans totalling over Rs 110 crore, which they claimed had been fraudulently taken in their names by the now-defunct Floramax company.

The protesters, who had been demonstrating for five days without resolution, resorted to a ‘chakka jam’ (road blockade) along the minister's route.

Angered by the disruption, Dewangan was heard warning the women to "mind their conduct". In the viral video, he said, “Stay silent. The government and the administration are supporting you (on your grievances), but with such haughtiness, if persisted, then you will all be thrown out by the police.”

Dewangan later denied using offensive language, claiming his words had been misquoted. “I asked the police to make way and did not use any offensive words towards the women. The opposition is trying to defame me and gain political advantage,” he stated.

The minister’s remarks, however, offended the women, who accused him of dismissing their plight. They demanded that the government write off the loans fraudulently taken by Floramax, which they allege has cheated them of over Rs 200 crore.

“When days of demonstration and hunger strikes failed to yield any resolution, we had no choice but to block the road in Korba,” the protesters asserted.

The incident drew sharp criticism from the opposition Congress party. Former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, in a post on X (formerly Twitter), condemned Dewangan's behaviour.

“He is Lakhan Lal Dewangan, minister of our state, acting like a ‘Gali ka Goonda’ towards the women. You have so much daring to throw out the women by calling the police? This is the mindset of BJP. We will not let your ‘Gundagardi’ continue,” Baghel remarked.

The BJP responded to Baghel’s statement, accusing the Congress of politicising the issue. “If the women were cheated, there will be an inquiry. But during every investigation, the Congress emerges at the back of all those actions that are often questioned by it,” stated Sanjay Shrivastava, the state BJP General Secretary.

The women remain resolute, continuing their protests and calling for justice against what they describe as a large-scale fraud that has devastated their lives.

X
The New Indian Express
www.newindianexpress.com