Thaindian News

New Delhi, Aug 10 (IANS) Upset over the crackdown on party youth activists in the capital, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) senior leader L.K. Advani Wednesday met Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and complained about the incident, which he reportedly blamed on the home minister.

According to a party source, Advani met Mukherjee in the afternoon and complained to him of the “atrocities” by Delhi Police “on the instructions of the home ministry”.

The source said the BJP leader did not name Chidambaram but told the Congress leader that such an operation could not have taken place without instructions from higher levels of the home ministry.

Many people were injured when the BJP’s youth wing activists clashed with Delhi Police Tuesday during a protest demonstration at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, close to Parliament House.

Police lobbed teargas shells, used water cannons, and resorted to baton-charge to disperse the demonstrators.

The BJP Wednesday demanded the resignation of Chidambaram, blaming him for the crackdown.

Party spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain blamed the operation directly on the home minister, demanding his resignation.

“We want Chidambaram’s resignation and there will be no compromise on this issue,” Hussain told reporters outside parliament.

“We have cornered Chidambaram on the issue of corruption, so he is irritated with the BJP. In yesterday’s rally, it was the instructions of Chidambaram and not that of the Delhi Police commissioner that was being followed,” Hussain said.