New Delhi, Aug 17 (IANS): The BJP on Tuesday accused the Mamata Banerjee government in West Bengal of stopping it's 'Jan Ashirvad Yatra' and claimed that Union Minister Shantanu Thakur and others were arrested during the Yatra. It demanded an answer from Chief Minister Banerjee about the undemocratic behaviour of the state government towards the union minister and MPs in West Bengal during this yatra.

Addressing a press conference at the party headquarters here, BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra alleged that the state government has arrested over 30 party workers without any reason and stopped the Jan Ashirvad Yatra. "Union minister Shantanu Thakur, who belongs to the Matua community, has been arrested in North 24 Parganas. It is an insult to the Matua community. Jan Ashirvad Yatra of John Barla was also disrupted," Patra said.

Patra demanded that Chief Minister Banerjee should answer for the undemocratic behaviour towards the union minister.

Thakur was reportedly arrested from a temple in Birati in North 24 Parganas, where he went to offer prayers. The BJP West Bengal unit tweeted, "Union Minister Shantanu Thakur was arrested at the beginning of 'Shohid Samman Yatra' in Gouripur Kalibari.

Why is TMC so scared of BJP? Is this their model of democracy in West Bengal."

BJP West Bengal general secretary (organisation), Amitava Chakravorty tweeted, "West Bengal police arrested MOS Shantanu Thakur and MLA Subrata Thakur along with BJP West Bengal supporters on the way of Shohid Somman Jatra. Democracy is nowhere in Mamata Banerjee ruled West Bengal."

As per the programme, all the 39 newly inducted ministers in the union council of ministers will take people's blessings during the 'Jan Ashirvad Yatra' in 19 states. Together all 39 ministers will cover 19,567 kilometres, 212 Lok Sabha constituencies and 265 districts of the country. They will reach their Lok Sabha constituency after travelling to three other Lok Sabha constituencies and four districts of their home state.