BJP workers have taken exception to a billboard that asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi when the public sector units closed for over two decades would reopen.

The billboard was put up on the route that Modi took to reach the venue of the government event and his rally in West Burdwan’s Durgapur on Friday.

The lone billboard, which did not say who put it up, at the city’s busy Gandhi More crossing was spotted by BJP supporters. They protested against the huge flex, which had Modi’s picture with his head lowered, and wanted it brought down as the Prime Minister was supposed to approach Durgapur steel town from this crossing.

A Durgapur resident said on condition of anonymity: “Although there was no claimant to the poster, it asked the Prime Minister very serious and genuine questions that he should answer — when will the closed public sector units in Durgapur reopen. Several public sector units like MAMC, BOGL and Hindustan Fertiliser Corporation have been lying closed for over two decades.”

MAMC was shut down in 2003 when Atal Behari Vajpayee was the Prime Minister and Mamata Banerjee was a member of his cabinet.

The BJP workers started demonstrating against the poster and accused the Trinamool Congress of putting up the flex to insult the Prime Minister.

“What more can you expect from Trinamool? They are running a government that is responsible for atrocities against women, theft and murder,” said Agnimitra Paul, BJP MLA from Asansol South.

As the protests grew, the police removed the flex billboard.

Trinamool West Burdwan president Narendranath Chakraborty said: “The Prime Minister was coming to Durgapur and the people here will welcome him. They will also ask him when the closed public sector units will reopen. What was wrong with it? We have not put up the poster, but have supported the demand.”