Centre acting at behest of black money depositors: BJP leader

The Congress-led UPA government at the Centre was acting at the behest of those who have stashed away black money in foreign banks, senior BJP leader Pandurang Phundkar said here today.

"It seems, the government's midnight swoop on Ramdev was at the behest of those who have stashed black money in foreign banks, and BJP will oppose such evil designs," Phundkar, the Opposition Leader in Maharashtra Legislative Council, told reporters.

The local BJP leaders are staging "satyagraha" (protest) at the feet of the statue of Mahatma Gandhi at Variety Square in Sitabuldi area.

Phundkar said the crackdown reminded people of the day the emergency was clamped in 1975. He warned that opposition could launch a Jaiprakash Narayan-like movement against the present government.

Mayor of BJP-ruled Nagpur Municipal Corporation, Archana Dehankar; city unit president Anil Sole; Girish Vyas; MLAs Sudhakar Deshmukh, Vikas Kumbhare, Krishna Khopde; NMC standing committee Chairman Sandeep Joshi and others are taking part in the protest which will end in the evening.