30 Congress MLAs Suspended from Chhattisgarh Assembly Over DAP Fertilizer Shortage Uproar
30 Congress MLAs Suspended from Chhattisgarh Assembly Over DAP Fertilizer Shortage Uproar
Last Updated Jul - 17 - 2025, 06:19 PM | Source : Fela News
Thirty Congress legislators were suspended for a day from the Chhattisgarh Assembly after disrupting proceedings over a shortage of DAP fertilizer. The Speaker
30 Congress MLAs Suspended from Chhattisgarh Assembly Over DAP Fertilizer Shortage Uproar
Thirty Congress legislators were suspended for a day from the Chhattisgarh Assembly on Thursday (July 17, 2025) following a heated protest over the alleged shortage of diammonium phosphate (DAP) fertilizer in the state. The commotion forced Speaker Raman Singh to adjourn the session twice.
During the Question Hour, senior Congress MLA Umesh Patel raised concerns about the supply and availability of DAP fertilizer in the ongoing kharif season. In response, State Agriculture Minister Ramvichar Netam informed the House that the central government had set a target of 3,10,000 metric tonnes of DAP for the 2025 kharif season. From April to June, the Centre allocated a supply plan of 2,19,100 metric tonnes, but only 1,08,155 metric tonnes had been delivered by the end of June.
The Minister added that 1,48,900 metric tonnes were currently in storage, which included 40,746 metric tonnes carried over from the previous rabi season. Acknowledging a shortfall in supply as per the current plan, Netam said the government was promoting alternative phosphatic fertilizers to support farmers.
Patel countered that less than half of the required DAP had been received and questioned the distribution to cooperative and private sectors. Netam clarified that 64% of the stock had been allocated to cooperative societies and 36% to private retailers. He also noted that an additional 18,885 metric tonnes would be delivered to the state by July 20, including 718 metric tonnes for Kharsia, Patel’s constituency.
Netam admitted the state, along with the rest of the country, was facing a DAP shortage due to global factors. He added that nano DAP was being encouraged as a substitute.
However, Congress MLAs accused the government of enabling black marketing by private sellers who, they claimed, were exploiting the shortage in cooperatives by selling fertilizer at inflated prices.
Dissatisfied with the Minister’s reply, Congress members stormed into the well of the House, prompting a five-minute adjournment. When the session resumed, the protest continued, leading to the suspension of 30 MLAs, including Leader of Opposition Charan Das Mahant and former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel.
Despite their suspension, the Congress legislators refused to leave and continued protesting. The Speaker, visibly frustrated, adjourned the House again and later condemned the MLAs' defiance of Assembly rules, stating he was deeply hurt by their conduct. The Congress currently holds 35 seats in the 90-member Assembly.
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