Raipur: Even as Congress called for a Chhattisgarh bandh to protest the arrest of Chief Minister Ajit Jogi in New Delhi on October 4, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national president M Venkaiah Naidu on October 5 came down heavily on the state government, accusing it of behaving in an irresponsible way and trying to "politicise" the paddy procurement policy.

"Being in power they called for Chhattisgarh bandh today and even one state minister made a statement to burn the effigy of the Prime Minister," Naidu told reporters at Raipur Press Club.

"Congress, which had been in power for so long, should not have behaved in such an irresponsible way and it reflected their culture," Naidu said.

Accusing Jogi of "lowering the dignity of the Chief Ministership", the BJP president said, "The people have given Congress the mandate to govern the state, but instead of doing so Jogi went to Delhi to demonstrate."

The people of the state would remove Jogi in next year's Assembly polls, he said.

Jogi and his Cabinet colleagues were arrested in Delhi on October 4 for violation of prohibitory orders while they were on their way to meet the Prime Minister to press for procurement of paddy from drought-affected states or alternatively financial aid as compensation.

PTI