Delhi BJP sheds onion tears outside CM's house

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) activists Wednesday protested outside Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit's residence over rising onion prices.

The protestors were led by Delhi BJP president Vijay Goel, former health minister Harsh Vardhan and ex-mayor Arti Mehra.

They took out a protest march from the BJP headquarters at 11 Ashoka Road to the chief minister's residence at 8 Janpath, a few km away.

Holding placards and criticising Dikshit for not curbing the rise in onion prices, the protestors demanded that she quit.

Blaming the chief minister for the high prices, Goel accused her of being hand-in-glove with hoarders and black-marketers.

"People are very angry and they will not spare her (Dikshit). The BJP will definitely win the upcoming state assembly elections (likely to be held in November)," said Goel.

He promised to bring down prices immediately after the BJP comes to power.

"If the government wanted, it could have controlled the prices. If we were in power, we would not have exported onions. In 1998, we paid the price for failing to control onion prices... now it is their (Congress) time," he added.

Police barricaded the entire Janpath road, leading to the chief minister's house and also imposed Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code, prohibiting assembly of more than five people in an area.

Police were also equipped with riot gear and water cannons to ward off any unlawful act by the protestors. The protest, however, concluded peacefully.

"Today, we came here just to warn the government. We will return if the situation is not tackled there is a lot of anger in the people," Goel said.