Oppn says CG edu minister misleading House on ‘Scouts’ meet’, walks out

Raipur: The Opposition staged a walkout in the assembly on Wednesday over alleged irregularities in the Bharat Scouts and Guides Jamboree held in Balod, after accusing school education minister Gajendra Yadav of giving an evasive reply on the tendering and decision-making process behind the event.The issue was raised during question hour by Congress MLA Raghvendra Singh, who sought details on the rule changes under which the school education minister became the ex-officio president of Bharat Scouts and Guides in the state, and questioned the sequence of decisions related to the jamboree's organisation. Before replying, Yadav recited a poem, saying repeated questions were being asked despite his "innocence", drawing attention and protests from Opposition benches. Yadav said that after the formation of Chhattisgarh, the state decided that scouts and guides would function as an independent body and that its president would be elected. He said the first school education minister, Satyanarayan Sharma, became the elected president after approval under that arrangement, and that the process continued during the Raman Singh govt too.He said the system was later changed during the Bhupesh Baghel govt, when a proposal was passed making the school education minister the ex-officio president instead of having an election, while the state chief commissioner would be appointed by the CM. He added that Bharat scouts and guides incorporated a separate provision to this effect. MLA Singh told the House that Yadav was nominated on Dec 13, 2025, while the first tender for the jamboree was floated on Dec 10. He asked which committee took the decision on the event before Yadav's appointment, and who chaired that body.In response, Yadav said the site selection and preparatory process began earlier through meetings. He said functionaries from the national headquarters inspected both Nava Raipur and Balod before choosing Balod as the venue, and that the process was completed before he became president. The Opposition was not satisfied when Singh said the first tender issued on Dec 10 was cancelled and a fresh tender was floated, which was to be opened on Jan 4, 2026. Leader of Opposition Charandas Mahant intervened, saying that even when the matter came up earlier, no clear answer was given, and that the minister was once again misleading the House. Soon after, opposition members walked out.