Raipur, Jul 19 (PTI) A day after the Enforcement Directorate arrested Chaitanya Baghel, son of former chief minister Bhupesh Baghel, in a money laundering case linked to an alleged liquor scam, the Chhattisgarh Congress on Saturday announced it will stage economic blockade across the state on July 22.

The economic blockade is in protest over misuse of Central agencies against opposition leaders and to protect natural resources of Chhattisgarh, state Congress chief Deepak Baij said at a press conference here.

Since the BJP came to power in the state (in December 2023), Congress leaders are being intimidated and put in jail in false cases, Baij claimed.

The Vishnu Deo Sai government is being controlled through remote (by the Centre) and has failed on all fronts in two years, he added.

"Congress leaders and workers are not going to get scared. The entire party stands with Bhupesh Baghel. During the economic blockade, Congress workers will come on to the streets and block national highways," Baij said.

Former CM Baghel said the BJP wants to hand over Chhattisgarh to "Adani" and whoever opposes such moves will meet the same fate as his jailed son.

"After ED carried out a raid at his premises on March 10, not a single notice was served to Chaitanya. No inquiry was conducted. They directly arrested him. It is a violation of constitutional rights. It is a well-planned strategy by the BJP to target Congress leaders and suppress them," he said.

They put party MLA Devendra Yadav, Satnami Samaj leaders, and tribal leader Kawasi Lakhma in jail one by one, Baghel said.

"My son is not in politics and has remained limited to his own business and farming activities. Their (BJP) aim is to wipe out the Congress leadership and suppress them. On the other hand, they (BJP) have been conspiring to give all our natural resources to Adani. They want to hand over Chhattisgarh to Adani," he alleged.

Baghel said the fight is not for himself or leaders like Devendra Yadav and Kawasi Lakhma but for the state.

"We have to oppose the way (Chief Minister) Vishnu Deo Sai, Modi (Prime Minister Narendra Modi) and Shah (Union Home Minister Amit Shah) have been dedicating 'jal-jungle-zameen' (water, forest and land) of Chhattisgarh to Adani," Baghel said.

When asked if he could be the next target of probe agencies, Baghel said, "Yes. They thought I had been to jail many times so they targeted my son. But my son is stronger than me. We (Congress) are descendants of Mahatma Gandhi, Nehru and Sardar Patel, who spent 10 years in jail while fighting the British," he said.

Every sacrifice needed to save the country and Constitution will be made, he asserted.

Leader of Opposition Charan Das Mahant, Congress MLAs and party leaders were present on the occasion.

Chaitanya Baghel was arrested on Friday, with the Enforcement Directorate claiming he received Rs 16.70 crore from the alleged liquor scam and played a key role in handling more than Rs 1000 crore that constituted the proceeds of crime.

He has been remanded in 5-day ED custody. PTI TKP BNM

Money laundering allegation under PMLA prompts statewide economic blockade protest after ED arrest of politician's relative. The Enforcement Directorate arrested Chaitanya Baghel in a PMLA-linked money laundering probe tied to an alleged liquor scam, alleging receipt and handling of proceeds of crime and remanded him to ED custody; the arrest prompted the state Congress to announce a statewide economic blockade protesting alleged misuse of central investigative agencies and purported plans to transfer state natural resources to a private conglomerate.