Terming the arrest and deplaning of his colleague Pawan Khera from a Raipur flight condemnable, Congress leader K C Venugopal on Thursday accused the BJP of targeting the party`s plenary session and asked if India has become a banana republic.

Khera was detained by Delhi Police and subsequently arrested by Assam Police in connection with his alleged remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a senior police officer said. The action against the Congress` media department head began with him being deplaned from a New Delhi-Raipur flight, leading to extraordinary scenes of protest at the tarmac by Congress leaders.