Congress leader and former city Mayor Poonam Sharma led a protest against an anti-encroachment drive in Maloya here today.
The anti-encroachment drive was carried out by the Union Territory Estate Office.
During the protest, a mock funeral procession was taken out and "last rites" of effigies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and local BJP MP Kirron Kher were performed.
Sharma sat on a protest in support of traders and residents, whose shops were demolished by the Estate Office last week.
The method of protest evoked sharp reaction from BJP, with Chandigarh Mayor Arun Sood claiming it was an "insult" and "hurt" religious sentiments of Hindus. "This is an insult and hurts religious sentiments of Hindus," Sood told reporters.
