New Delhi: Several Opposition leaders, including RJD (Rashtriya Janata Dal) chief Laloo Prasad Yadav and CPM (Communist Party of India-Marxist) general secretary Harkishan Singh Surjeet, on March 22 courted arrest after staging a demonstration against US attack on Iraq, skipping the UN route.

"Laloo Prasad Yadav and his party MP Raghuvansh Prasad Singh were among 30 people belonging to different Opposition parties who courted arrest while leading a protest march near Teenmurti Bhawan close to the US Embassy in New Delhi," police sources said.

The sources said the leaders were, however, released soon afterwards.

Yadav later told reporters, "The Vajpayee government was afraid of the US and therefore did not want to condemn the American attack against Iraq."

Demanding an immediate halt to the military conflict, he criticised the "middle path approach" of the NDA (National democratic Alliance) government.

CPI (Communist Party of India) secretary D Raja said those who courted arrest also included JD-S (Janata Dal-Secular) leader Romesh Bhandari, CPI-ML general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya and CPM's women wing leader Brinda Karat besides himself (Raja).

The demonstration was held as a part of a call given by Left-backed central trade unions and some Opposition parties to launch massive protests all over the country to demand immediate halt to the war and ask the government to unambiguously condemn the US attack.

PTI