Nearly 30 TMC MPs detained for protests outside PMO

Nearly 30 TMC MPs were detained by police as they tried to march and protest outside the Prime Minister’s residence. The TMC MPs are protesting against the arrest of party leaders and MPs Sudip Bandyopadhyay and Tapas Paul in the Rose Valley chit fund case.  

TMC also protested outside Prime Minister's office and shouted anti-Modi slogans before being rounded up by the police. TMC has a total strength of 45 MPs in both Houses and nearly all of them turned up to protest. Its MPs from Lok Sabha as well aas Rajya Sabha, including Saugata Roy and Derek O’Brien, were also part of the protests. 

“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 opportunity, we will protest,” Roy said before being whisked away.

Sudip Bandyopadhyay was arrested by CBI in Kolkata on Tuesday in connection with the Rose Valley chit fund scam, prompting West Bengal Chief Minister 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.

Also Read: Rose Valley scam: Sudip Bandyopadhyay’s arrest sparks fresh tussle between BJP, TMC

Since then, TMC has been holding protests in Kolkata as well as the national capital. On Wednesday, West Bengal Finance Minister Amit Mitra walked out of the meeting called by Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley to hold pre-Budget consultations with states. 

Accusing the government of indulging in vendetta politics, TMC MPs raised slogans of “Modi hatao, desh bachao” (remove Modi, save country} before they were taken into custody and taken to Mandir Marg police station.  TMC MPs had taken out a protest march on Wednesday too and were detained at Tughlaq Road police station for about three hours.