India, March 27 -- Protesting against the "mafia raj" in Himachal Pradesh, BJP leaders and workers held a demonstration against the state government at Chaura Maidan near the Vidhan Sabha on Thursday, throwing traffic out of gear in the hill town.

Hundreds of BJP workers, including women, gathered at Chaura Maidan on the call given by state unit chief Rajeev Bindal and raised slogans against the Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu-led government for failing to address the growing incidents of crime, unemployment and inflation, while educational and health institutions were being closed down.

Bindal had announced that BJP activists would gherao the Vidhan Sabha against the "mafia rule" in the state due to the unchecked sale of 'chitta (heroin)' and i...