SP activists belonging to its youthwing sought to advance towards the helipad trying to show blackflags and raising slogans which was countered by a group of Congress workers, who rushed towards them and allegedly roughed them up.

At one stage, Union Ministers Jitin Prasad, CPN Singh and CLP leader Pramod Tiwari were also seen approaching the SP activists.

Defending the Congress workers' action, Law Minister Salman Khurshid told reporters there was some excitement, pushing and shoving and it was done for the protection of "our leader". In that situation, there was no time for people to think.

There was no adequate police arrangement and the Congress workers and leaders did what was absolutely necessary, he said.