New Delhi, July 16 - The arrest of Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Rita Bahuguna Joshi and the attack on her house by Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) workers led to a demand for the dismissal of the state government by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Samajwadi Party (SP) leaders Thursday.

BJP MP from Uttar Pradesh Maneka Gandhi said here: 'The time has come for the Uttar Pradesh government to be dismissed. In every single constituency, people have been sent to jail for absolutely nothing.

'What did Rita Bahuguna Joshi say? She didn't say much and after that she even apologised. Why can't she speak her mind? What kind of democracy is this? President's Rule should be imposed in the state.'

Speaking to the media at the main entrance of parliament house, SP leader Akhilesh Yadav -- son of party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav -- demanded the dismissal of the Uttar Pradesh government.

Another SP leader, Rajya Sabha MP Kamal Akhtar, told IANS: 'The administration in the state has completely collapsed.