BJP's 12-day protest against 'misgovernance' ends

Ranchi, May 22 (UNI) Leader of the Opposition in the Jharkhand Assembly Arjun Munda and his wife Meera, along with thousands of supporters, were today arrested on the last day of the BJP-sponsored 12-day ''jail bharo'' programme in protest against price hike, acute power crisis and rampant corruption in the state.

Since this morning, the district administration was on maximum alert with forces deployed at all entry points leading to Chief Minister Madhu Koda's official residence.

The BJP had launched its 12-day agitation programme on May 12 in which gheraoing the Chief Minister's residence was the top priority.

The BJP workers gathered at the historic Morabadi ground. At about 1400 hrs, Mr Munda led the rally taking different routes to the Chief Minister's residence and was stopped at various places by the security forces.

However, they managed to break one barricade on Kanke road.

Police used tear gas shells and water canons preventing the protestors from breaking the second barricade.

After that, the protestors squatted on the road for nearly two hours shouting anti-government slogans.

Since the past eleven days, thousands of BJP workers from different districts have been converging at the state capital to demonstrate at the high security zone of the Chief Minister's residence.

On May 12, former Union Minister Yashwant Sinha, who launched the programme here, fainted during the programme.

UNI PRS KK KD DB1840