BJP hits street demanding arrest of Narada-tainted TMC leaders

Kolkata, March 22 (IANS) The West Bengal unit of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday organised a massive rally here demanding arrest of the Trinamool Congress leaders purportedly seen taking money in the Narada sting operation footage.

The rally, led by state BJP President Dilip Ghosh, started from north Kolkata's College Square up to Esplanade in central Kolkata. It broke police barricade at the Esplanade crossing and got involved in a "minor tussle" with police personnel.

One of the woman supporters present in the rally received injury.

Terming the rally as "historical", Ghosh claimed that people "spontaneously" joined them as his party has been constantly fighting against corruption.

"This is a historical rally. Today, the people joined us in such huge numbers, because we are constantly raising our voice against the ongoing corruption in the state," Ghosh said.

"The charges of corruption against the present state government is unprecedented. Everyone involved in this (Narada sting case) corruption should be arrested and punished," he said.

Ghosh said that although there was a "minor tussle" between the police and the BJP party workers near Esplanade, they had no complaints against the role of the lawkeepers.

Police requested them to rally peacefully as the high school board examinations are going on, the leader added.

"There was a minor scuffle between the police and the agitators when they tried to break the final barricade at Esplanade. No lathi-charge was done by the police. The situation was under control," Supratim Sarkar, Joint Commissioner of Police (Headquarters), said.