TMC MPs protest outside PMO, detained

For the second straight day, Trinamool Congress MPs on Thursday hit the capital’s streets and reached close to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) in the high security zone, protesting against “vindictive politics” of the Modi government in the wake of arrest of their fellow party lawmaker Sudip Bandyopadhyay by CBI in a scam case.

The party also announced a three-day protest programme from January 9 while asserting that it will continue to raise voice against the central government.

While marching towards the PMO in the high-security zone, Trinamool MPs from Lok Sabha as well as Rajya Sabha, including Saugata Roy and Derek O’Brien, and a few party supporters managed to reach close to their destination. Shouting anti-Modi slogans, they managed to breach two rings of security barricades on the Raisina Hills towards South Block. Trinamool Congress has 45 MPs in collectively in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.

About 30 Trinamool MPs including Roy, O’Brien, Arpita Ghosh, Idris Ali were taken into custody. They were released after three-hour detention at the Mandir Marg police station.

“We were prevented from reaching PMO and we are bundled into a bus near South Block. In the process two of our lady MPs were manhandled,” said Roy. “We are protesting against Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s demonetisation and political vendetta against the Trinamool Congress. So, the protest will go on. Wherever we get the opportunity, we will protest,” Roy said before being whisked away.

Bandyopadhyay was arrested by CBI in Kolkata on Tuesday in connection with the Rose Valley chit fund scam, prompting West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee to allege that Modi was using central agencies like CBI, ED and I-T department against his political rivals who are raising voice against demonetisation.

“Our protest against the Modi government’ vindictive politics will continue and we will be here on January 9, 10 and 11 to do the needful,” TMC said in a statement.