The Chandigarh unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party on Saturday held a protest demonstration here demanding immediate resignation of Railway Minister and Chandigarh MP Pawan Kumar Bansal, whose nephew is among those arrested by CBI in a case of bribery.
The BJP leaders held the protest in Sector 33 where the party's Chandigarh office is located. Some members also marched to the Sector 28 residence of Bansal. They were, however, stopped by a strong posse of security personnel. A clash like situation was averted when Congress workers, loyal to Bansal, also assembled there and both entered into a verbal duel.
Chandigarh BJP President, Sanjay Tandon said that Bansal cannot distance and absolve himself from the misdeeds of his nephew. "Things must have been in Bansal's knowledge as it involved fixing a top level position in the Board," he added.
"It is yet another case of corruption, which has flourished during the Congress led UPA rule. The time has come for UPA to go. We demand that Bansal should tender his resignation immediately," he said.
Former Chandigarh MP and senior BJP leader Satya Pal Jain, whom Bansal defeated in the last parliamentary elections, also demanded that Bansal must immediately step down, failing which he should be sacked.
Punjab BJP President president Kamal Sharma said that living up to the image of party, Bansal’s act has once again proved that Congress is synonymous to corruption.
"Congress has lost its base in Punjab and now the corruption at central government level is driving nails into its coffin,” said Sharma following arrest of Bansal’s nephew Vijay Singla along with a member of railway board in case of accepting bribe.
BJP Punjab chief said that public expects Bansal to explain his role in the entire scam and how was his relative able to get into corruption right under his nose.
Earlier last night, a CBI team conducted a raid at plush Sector 28 residence of Bansal's nephew V Singla, which is located at a stone's throw from the residence of the Union Minister.