Chhattisgarh BJP MP flags deteriorating law and order in letter to CM
The Statesman | 15 April 2025
In a move that has stirred political circles, Raipur BJP MP Brijmohan Agrawal has penned a strongly worded letter to Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, voicing grave concerns over the deteriorating law and order situation in the state capital.
Citing Raipur’s rapid urban growth, Agrawal called for urgent reforms in policing and traffic management, warning that the current infrastructure is ill-equipped to handle the city’s rising demands. His candid critique has reignited speculation over internal unrest within the Chhattisgarh BJP.
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Highlighting the city’s transformation into a major urban hub, Agrawal stressed that its security infrastructure has not kept pace with the rising demands. He expressed concern over the increasing frequency of cybercrimes, pointing out that criminals no longer fear the law in the state capital.
“Raipur is growing rapidly, and it demands a corresponding scale-up in safety and traffic regulation. Highlighting flaws in governance is a tradition of our party, and since the Chief Minister is heavily occupied, I’ve chosen to convey these issues through this letter,” he wrote.
The letter draws attention to the alarming shortage in police manpower. According to Agrawal, while the approved strength for Raipur district police is 3,805 personnel, 796 posts remain vacant. Of the 2,738 sanctioned posts for constables, only 2,007 are currently filled. This shortfall, he said, hampers effective policing and causes inconvenience to the public.
On traffic management, the MP pointed out that over 1.7 million vehicles are registered in Raipur alone. However, against the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D) standard requirement of 2,388 traffic personnel, the city has only 416 deployed. Agrawal urged the Chief Minister to immediately initiate recruitment for vacant police posts and sanction additional force commensurate with the city’s growing needs.
The letter also mentions other expanding urban areas like Birgaon, Mana, and Mandir Hasaud, which collectively push the population of the Raipur metropolitan region to over 3 million. He warned that the cumulative pressure on police services across these areas is creating administrative strain and public dissatisfaction.
Reacting to the letter, Congress spokesperson Sushil Shukla said Agrawal’s concerns reflect what the opposition has been saying for months. “Brijmohan Agrawal has held a mirror to his own government. His observations validate Congress’ consistent critique that law and order across Chhattisgarh has collapsed,” Shukla said.
Veteran journalist and political analyst Uchit Sharma told The Statesman that internal discontent within the BJP is increasingly becoming public. “BJP MP Brijmohan Agrawal writing to his own Chief Minister, senior leader Nankiram Kanwar complaining to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and MLA Ajay Chandrakar criticizing the government during the assembly sessions— all of these point to widening fault lines beneath the surface, Sharma remarked.
The recent developments are fuelling speculation about internal strife within the ruling BJP. With prominent leaders like Brijmohan Agrawal raising red flags publicly, Nankiram Kanwar appealing directly to Prime Minister Modi, and Ajay Chandrakar voicing dissent during the assembly elections, political watchers believe all is not well beneath the surface.
Despite the appearance of unity, growing cracks within the party could pose significant challenges for the Sai-led government, especially as it prepares for crucial governance and political battles ahead.