BJP heckles TMC candidate in Varanasi, leads to clashes

Activists of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Trinamool Congress Party (TMC) clashed here on Thursday, even as the BJP upped its protests against the Election Commission's endorsement of a returning officer's order not to allow BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi to address a rally in the congested Bemiyan area of the city, citing security concerns.

The clashes between workers of the two parties reportedly broke out after TMC candidate for Varanasi Indira Tiwari was allegedly heckled by BJP workers.

BJP leader Amit Shah, however, maintained that the Varanasi administration is working on directions of the Samajwadi Party-led Uttar Pradesh Government.

"50,000 of our workers protesting here in Varanasi peacefully," Shah said, adding that there was no reason for any kind of disturbance to take place.

Another BJP leader Arun Jaitley said that when rallies can be allowed in violence-prone states like Kashmir or in Maoist hotbeds, why were they not being allowed to take place in Varanasi.

"In Kashmir, rallies are being allowed. In Maoist areas, rallies are being allowed,but not here?(Varanasi)," Jaitley said.