BJP's protest throws traffic out of gear, commuters suffer

Hundreds of party workers gathered at Chaura Maidan on the call given by state unit chief Bindal and raised slogans against the state government

- Shailee Dogra

SHIMLA: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders and workers held a demonstration against the state government at Chaura Maidan near the Vidhan Sabha on Thursday, throwing traffic out of gear in the hill town.

Hundreds of BJP workers, including women, gathered at Chaura Maidan on the call given by state unit chief Rajeev Bindal and raised slogans against the Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu-led government for failing to address the growing incidents of crime, unemployment and inflation, while educational and health institutions were being closed down.

Bindal had announced that BJP activists would gherao the Vidhan Sabha against the "mafia rule" in the state due to the unchecked sale of 'chitta (heroin)' and illegal mining.

Quagmire of crime, says Sharma State BJP in-charge Shrikant Sharma said, "In the past two-and-a-half years, the Congress government has pushed Himachal Pradesh into a quagmire of crime, mafia rule and debt. Gang wars and firing have become common in Mandi, Bilaspur, Una and Hamirpur. The mafias cannot have so much courage without government protection."