Chhattisgarh: Security beefed up ahead of PM Modi’s visit to Bastar

Bastar (Chhattisgarh) [India], October 3 (ANI): In view of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to poll-bound Chhattisgarh on Wednesday, security arrangements have been beefed up, said Inspector General of Police of Bastar, P Sundarraj.

Police personnel in large numbers have been deployed in the state’s Bastar district, where PM Modi will inaugurate several developmental projects, police said.

“Security arrangements have been beefed up and police have been deployed. We have also conducted security drills so that the event takes place peacefully. We are making sure that nothing mishappening occurs,” Bastar IG said while speaking on the security arrangements. 

Meanwhile, the ruling Congress has called for a ‘bandh’ in Bastar, opposing the privatization of the Nagarnar steel plant.

On Monday, the state unit of the Congress took to ‘X’ and announced the bandh in the Bastar district.

“There is opposition in Bastar against the conspiracy to hand over Nagarnar Steel Plant to private hands. We are repeatedly saying that if the centre is not able to run the Nagarnar Steel Plant, then hand it over to the Chhattisgarh government, we will run it. We stand with the people of Bastar, we will continue to stand,” Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel said. 

During his visit to Bastar, PM Modi will visit the tribal heartland to inaugurate the National Mineral Development Corporation’s (NDMC) integrated steel plant in Nagarnar, an official statement said.

In addition, the PM will lay the foundation stone of several developmental projects in the state worth over Rs 26,000 crores, as per the official statement.

NMDC Steel Ltd’s Steel Plant at Nagarnar will provide employment opportunities to thousands of people, in the plant as well as in ancillary and downstream industries. It will put Bastar on the steel map of the world and provide a boost to the socioeconomic development of the region.

PM’s visit to Chattisgarh comes as state assembly polls are scheduled to be held later this year and all political parties are throwing their maximum efforts to woo voters.

Earlier after the 2018 assembly polls, the Congress witnessed a landslide victory winning 68 seats out of 90 of those against the then ruling-BJP, which acquired 15 seats.